Stone-fruit
Guides
Brachycaudus helichrysi
leaf curl plum aphid, leaf-curling plum aphid, peach leaf curl aphid
Brachycaudus helichrysi is a small aphid species first described by Kaltenbach in 1843. Molecular studies have revealed it comprises two cryptic sibling lineages, B. helichrysi H1 and H2, which are morphologically indistinguishable but genetically divergent and differ in life cycle strategies. H1 follows a typical heteroecious cycle with sexual reproduction on plum trees, while H2 consists largely of obligate asexual superclones with some sexual populations on peach trees in India.
Colladonus
Colladonus is a genus of leafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae, established by Ball in 1936. Species in this genus are native to North America and are economically significant as vectors of X-disease phytoplasma (Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni), which affects stone fruit crops including cherries, peaches, and nectarines. The genus includes notable species such as Colladonus clitellarius (saddled leafhopper) and C. montanus, both documented as important disease vectors.
Hyalopterus
Mealy Plum-Reed Aphids
Hyalopterus is a genus of aphids in the family Aphididae, commonly known as mealy plum-reed aphids. Species in this genus are cosmopolitan pests of stone fruit trees in the genus Prunus, causing damage through direct feeding and virus transmission. The genus has undergone recent taxonomic revision, with molecular and morphometric analyses supporting at least three distinct species: H. pruni, H. amygdali, and H. persikonus (the latter described in 2006). Species boundaries are strongly correlated with host-plant associations.
Synanthedon exitiosa
peachtree borer, Peachtree Borer Moth
Synanthedon exitiosa, commonly known as the peachtree borer, is a clearwing moth native to North America and a significant pest of stone fruit trees. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism in both size and wing appearance. Larvae bore into the trunks and root crowns of Prunus species, feeding on cambium and phloem tissue, often causing tree death. Adult females use semiochemical cues, including compounds from larval gum frass, to locate suitable oviposition sites.