Their are many different types of Aphids... each with
it's own distinct coloration.
For an incredible close up of Citrus Aphids look
here.
| Latin name: |
Aphis citricola, Aphis
craccivora Myzus persicae and Toxoptera aurantii to name just a
few. |
| Common name: |
"Green Fly" |
| Description: |
Aphids are a small soft
bodied sap sucking insect that is usually green in coloration.
There are also black, gray and orange, yellow, pink and brown
Aphids. Usually and Aphid is less than 1/8" in length. They
may or may not have wings. |
| Hosts: |
Aphids could be found on
nearly any plant... indoors or outdoors. They are attracted to the
soft tissue of rapidly growing plants. |
| Life cycle: |
An adult Aphid lives approximately
two or three weeks. Each female Aphid will give birth to 50 or
more female Aphids. These new born Aphids start reproducing within
7 days of their birth... each giving birth to 50 more. As you can
see, Aphids can rapidly take over a healthy plant. |
| Natural control: |
Weather permitting... take
the plant outdoors and rinse off the Aphids with a strong stream
of water. The thumb and forefinger trick also works well. Let
foliage dry and spray with Safer's Soap, Neem Oil or Safer's Ultra
Fine Oil spray. |
| Chemical control: |
Spray with Malathion and
treat the soil with a systemic insecticide. When handling any
chemical be sure to read the label and wear the appropriate safety
equipment. |
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