Includes green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)
Pest description and damage Several species of aphids may feed on the foliar, stem, flower, bud, bark or root tissues of many trees and shrubs. Aphids tend to be small (0.0625 to 0.125 inch in length), oval to pear-shaped, soft-bodied insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Color varies with aphid species, but green peach aphid is green. Aphids feed in colonies and are found on the most succulent plant tissues. Feeding damage to plants is usually minor but can compromise the vigor of the host. 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: