by Philip McIntosh
APHIDS
Aphids, they’re such cute little things... not.
ANYONE WHO has done any gardening is likely
to have met the aphid, a small, sap-sucking insect
often found tended to by ants in outdoor gardens.
IN ADDITION to the direct damage
they cause, aphids, depending on the
species, are vectors for as many as
100 different plant viruses.
APHIDS ARE hemipterans, or
“true bugs” (not flies or beetles,
for example). All species of
Hemiptera—there are tens
of thousands—are united in
classification by their similar
sucking mouthparts.
APHIDS ARE soft-bodied, pear-shaped
creatures that come in many colors. Most are
wingless, but winged individuals do appear.
IN SMALL numbers, aphids do
minimal damage, but infestations are
highly destructive, causing discoloration,
spotting, or puckering of leaves.
MOST APHIDS simply suck up cell
contents with their piercing mouthparts, but
a few inject toxic substances with their saliva.
APHIDS CAN reproduce rapidly by giving
birth via unfertilized eggs. An individual can
produce several hundred offspring in a month.
AS IS generally the case, inspecting plants at an early growth stage to
remove insects goes a long way toward preventing large populations later.
THEN THERE are the ants. Ants and other insects are
fond of the energy-rich “honeydew” waste exuded by aphids.
So much so that they protect and transport aphids to new
locations for them to feed.
LADY BUGS are the classic natural enemy of
aphids but are often only temporarily effective.
Aphids are susceptible to attack by fungi, which can
be encouraged by moisture. Insecticidal soaps
and oils are effective chemical controls.
groundbreakers
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