Sow-thistle
Guides
Uroleucon sonchi
Sow-thistle Aphid, Large Sow-thistle Aphid, Brown Lettuce Aphid
Uroleucon sonchi is a large aphid species in the family Aphididae, commonly known as the sow-thistle aphid or brown lettuce aphid. Native to the Palaearctic region, it has been introduced to multiple continents and is now cosmopolitan in distribution. The species is economically significant as a pest of cultivated lettuce and related crops, while also occurring on wild Asteraceae hosts. It reproduces parthenogenetically during spring and summer, typical of many aphids.