TAXONOMY: Hemiptera  (Order)

DESCRIPTION: Common small sap sucking soft-bodied insects. Flightless and often abundant.

PEST IDENTIFICATION (Adult): Adult aphids are typically 1-2mm in length and have a white/grey/green appearance and are generally clustered together.

PEST IDENTIFICATION (Juvenile): soft-bodied small green.

PEST IDENTIFICATION (Egg): Live birth.

DISTRIBUTION ON PLANT: Often distributed under the leaf or away from direct sunlight.

LIFECYCLE: very rapid reproduction and short lifecycle of 20-40 days.

DETRIMENT TO CROPS: Sapsucking weakening plants and transmitting plant virus.

MONITORING REMARKS: Scout manually, look on the underside of the leaves and between the leaves of cabbages. There are no pheromone products for monitoring purposes.

ACTION THRESHOLD: Suppress when visually seen.

CONTROL REMARKS: Systemic products can be most effective at controlling aphids, however many contact insecticides will be beneficial for rapid knock down.

Contact a Cropserve agronomist for further information.