Potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae), Homoptera

Potato aphid biology & life cycle

Potato aphid infestations rarely result in plant kill and tend to be sporadic in occurrence. Using their stylets, aphids feed from various parts of the plant (stems, growing tips, blossoms and veins). If thresholds are high enough, blossoms are dropped resulting in yield loss, and new growth becomes stunted or curled. In optimal conditions aphids reproduce quickly and spread from field to field just as rapidly. They can bring with them various viral diseases such as leaf roll, spindle tuber or unmottled curly dwarf.

Identifying Potato aphid

Potato aphid: larvae

Potato aphids overwinter as eggs typically on both cultivated and uncultivated rose varieties such as shining rose, swamp rose and rough rose. They hatch out early in spring as immature nymphs creating the first generation. Many females are born pregnant thus do not need to mate throughout the season. This allows for a large population to grow where good resources are available, and quickly. Once plants begin to senesce and temperatures drop in the fall, the aphids then produce offspring which have wings so they can fly back to primary hosts to mate, lay eggs and die.

Potato aphid: adult

Potato aphid: management

Once wilting of the plants and honeydew on the leaves occurs, this may be an indication of high numbers of potato aphids on the crop which could require implementation of pest control. Thresholds are area specific and follow Green Peach Aphid leaf count levels.