Includes laburnum aphid (Aphis cytisorum) and other species
Pest description and damage Several species of aphids may infest Laburnum. Initially, these aphids feed on the shoot tips, which on young trees can cause stunting and malformation of the tips. They also infest the seed pods making them unsightly with honeydew, sooty mold, and aphid exoskeletons. Aphids tend to be small (.0625 to 0.125 inch in length), oval to pear-shaped, soft-bodied insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Color varies but most aphids tend to match host plant coloration. Laburnum aphid is a dark green aphid. Aphids tend to feed in colonies and are found on the new or most succulent plant tissues. When aphid populations are high, leaf and shoot distortion can occur. Aphids produce honeydew, a sweet, sticky secretion that collects on underlying plant tissues and encourages growth of a black sooty mold. In addition to cosmetics, honeydew may become a sticky nuisance when it falls on decks, cars, or other landscape surfaces. Some aphids are vectors of plant diseases, particularly viruses.
For biology, life history, monitoring and management
See "Aphid" in:
Management-chemical control
See Table 1 in: