Aphids ?

Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,695
All,

Jessica notice what she thought was spiders on one of her flowers in the garden. A closer look makes me believe they are Aphids. I have not found the specific kind but will keep looking. They cover an area smaller than your little fingernail. The larger one was not too happy with my camera being so close; however, the little ones did not move at all. I had some problems taking the photo because the wind kept them moving.


They look like airplanes on a runway :) Notice the smaller in the back.


IMG_2042a.jpg


And last night as it was getting dark I took this quick photo. You can see there were only 15 then so I believe she just gave birth to more today and the one right under her wing in the above photo I think occcured as I was setting my camera up.

IMG_2021.jpg



Guy
 
Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,695
They definitely are Aphids. The link below tells us:

"If you look closely at an aphid, you'll see two small tubes projecting from their hind end. These are called cornicles and are unique to aphids."

"During the spring and summer females give birth to live offspring (not eggs) which are all female.(1) At the end of the summer males are produced, and mated females lay eggs that hatch the next spring.(1) When there are lots of aphids on a plant, winged individuals are produced which then search for a less crowded plant."


http://www.pesticide.org/aphids.html


Guy
 
Sue Gremlin

Sue Gremlin

Piney
Sep 13, 2005
1,286
245
61
Vicksburg, Michigan
A ID key that's available online doesn't identify them. There are so many species around. I have a big entomology key at work, I'll see if I can find it. It would be helpful to get a good shot of the wing of the mommy aphid, but that's kind of a tall order.
 
manumuskin

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,673
2,586
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
Guy,

Malathion will kill the aphids.They suck plant juices and are harmful to any plant they infest.Of course malathion is a poison.Ladybugs are their natural predator and can be ordered via mail if you don't have enough present naturally.The problem is you can pay for them then dump them on the garden and if they choose they can immediately fly away.
Al
 
ecampbell

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,889
1,029
Sue Gremlin said:
Diluted dish soap will do a number on them, too! That is what I spray my tomato plants with when they get aphids.
Click to expand...

Yes it does. Mix it in a spray bottle and your set to go. It is also sold a insectacidal soap.
Malithon just smells like it's gonna kill you.
 
Sue Gremlin

Sue Gremlin

Piney
Sep 13, 2005
1,286
245
61
Vicksburg, Michigan
Guy, I showed your pics to a colleague who just happens to be a foremost aphid expert, and he had this to say:
There are a red and green forms of Green peach aphid, but I have never seen a bicolor aphid like this. What plant were these on?
Click to expand...

If they are a new and undescribed aphid subspecies, what do you want to name them? :)
 
Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,695
Sue Gremlin said:
Guy, I showed your pics to a colleague who just happens to be a foremost aphid expert, and he had this to say:


If they are a new and undescribed aphid subspecies, what do you want to name them? :)
Click to expand...

Sue,

Thank you for checking this for me, and thank your expert for his interest. They are on a Tiger Lilly that looks like this photo that is not mine.

http://image03.webshots.com/3/5/38/67/17653867RrlbdHfTFa_fs.jpg


The flower is just starting to form and they are under the leaf right at the flower. As for a name, we spent the ride to and from the pizza store just now thinking one up, and since it is Jessica's plant this name fits her perfectly. A swizzlestick is that little straw in mixed drinks, and that is her nickname around here because of her weight and size. So a quick pick was:


Swizzleiistic Sticktosis


Maybe someone can come up with a better one using the same idea.

Guy
 
Sue Gremlin

Sue Gremlin

Piney
Sep 13, 2005
1,286
245
61
Vicksburg, Michigan
I'll see what I can do, Guy. It would have to follow the Linnaean taxonomic name format, so it would have to be Myzus persicae (subspecies)

May I suggest perhaps Myzus persicae (swizzlestickeii) ? :)
 
Sue Gremlin

Sue Gremlin

Piney
Sep 13, 2005
1,286
245
61
Vicksburg, Michigan
Oops, I stand corrected. The entomologist I spoke to says he is not an aphid expert. My mistake. He's more into ants.

Entomologists are weird.

Anyway, I'll see if we can ID that one.
 
Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,695
Sue Gremlin said:
I'll see what I can do, Guy. It would have to follow the Linnaean taxonomic name format, so it would have to be Myzus persicae (subspecies)

May I suggest perhaps Myzus persicae (swizzlestickeii) ? :)
Click to expand...

Who follows rules anyway :D

Guy
 
Teegate

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,695
Sue Gremlin said:
Oops, I stand corrected. The entomologist I spoke to says he is not an aphid expert. My mistake. He's more into ants.

Entomologists are weird.

Anyway, I'll see if we can ID that one.
Click to expand...

I looked at every photo on Google Images that appeared it may be them and did not see them.

Guy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top