The honeydew can sometimes encourage a fungal growth called sooty mold, causing branches and leaves to appear black.When aphids feed on trees, their honeydew can drop onto cars, outdoor furniture, driveways, and so on. This “ honeydew,” a sugary liquid produced by the insects as waste, can attract other insects, such as ants, which gather the substance for food. If the leaves or stems are covered with a sticky substance, that is a sign that aphids may have been sipping sap. Be sure to check the undersides of leaves aphids love to hide there. Look for misshapen, curling, stunted, or yellowing leaves.Some, such as the green peach aphid, feed on a variety of plants, while others, such as the rosy apple aphid, focus on one or just a few plant hosts. Most aphids especially like succulent new growth. Nymphs and adults feed on plant juices, attacking leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruit, and/or roots, depending on the species. The potato aphid is a common brown aphid. Some aphids are darker colors, like brown. For example, some species include bean aphids, cabbage aphids, potato aphids, green peach aphids, melon aphids, and woolly apple aphids. While aphids in general feed on a wide variety of plants, different species of aphids can be specific to certain plants. Aphids usually feed in large groups, although you might occasionally see them singly or in small numbers. A close-up view of a rose aphid.Īdults are usually wingless, but most species can develop a winged form when populations become crowded, so that when food quality suffers, the insects can travel to other plants, reproduce, and start a new colony. Most species have two short tubes (called cornicles) projecting from their hind end. They have pear-shaped bodies with long antennae the nymphs (young aphids) look similar to the adults. Various species can appear white, black, brown, gray, yellow, light green, or even pink! Some may have a waxy or woolly coating. Aphids are tiny (adults are under 1/4-inch), and often nearly invisible to the naked eye.
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