Pages - Menu

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Cotton Aphid

Cotton Aphid
Aphis gossypii

Damage symptoms

Leaves are distorted, stunted, and often curled under. The upper leaf surface is sticky and has a black moldy growth (sooty mold). The plants have fewer frutis than usual. Some wilting may also be evident.


Insect characteristics

Piercing-sucking mouthparts. These are small pear-shaped insects with prominent reddish eyes. They vary in color from yellow to green to black. Some have transparent wings.


Where to look

Select leaves that are beginning to curl under or have signs of black sooty mold on the upper surface. Turn them over and look for groups of variable-sized insects. You will see adults and young living and feeding together.


Technical information

The cotton aphid has continual generations and many different hosts. When populations on the host plant are high, winged forms are produced, and they fly to adjacent plants to establish new colonies. Aphid colonies are commonly visited by ants which feed on the honeydew secreted by the aphids. This honeydew also serves as the food on which the sooty mold grows. The cotton aphid is a virus vector and has a wide host range including many vegetable crops.


Control by

green patrol es can be using to control aphid

cotton aphids

distortion and curling of leaves
Distortion and curling of leaves

sooty mold
Sooty mold


aphids on leaf
Aphids on leaf

No comments: