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New Rosebud & Friends 3

Rose blooming in a large flowerpot at my front door in Tucson, Arizona. I think these insects are aphids. I will try washing them off gently with a stream of water from my hose.

 

www.britannica.com/animal/aphid

 

Aphid

Insect

Written by: The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica 0 SHARE

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Alternative titles: ant cow; Aphididae; greenfly; plant louse

Aphid (familyAphididae), also called plant louse, greenfly, or ant cow,

oleander aphids [Credit: Sanjay ach]any of a group of sap-sucking, soft-bodied insects (order Homoptera) that are about the size of a pinhead, most species of which have a pair of tubelike projections (cornicles) on the abdomen. Aphids can be serious plant pests and may stunt plant growth, produce plant galls, transmit plant virus diseases, and cause the deformation of leaves, buds, and flowers.

 

Life cycle of aphids

The life cycle of the aphid is complicated. Wingless females, called stem mothers, reproduce without fertilization (i.e., by parthenogenesis) throughout the summer. These stem mothers are unique in that they produce living young (viviparity) as opposed to eggs, as occurs in most other insects. Eventually the plant containing the stem mother and her offspring becomes overcrowded. When this occurs, some offspring develop into adults with two pairs of large membranous wings. These winged adults fly to new plants. In late summer both males and females are produced. After they mate, the female lays eggs that survive the winter. In warm climates there may be no need for an overwintering egg stage, and continuous generations occur. The white woolly-ball appearance of many aphids is the result of wax-gland secretion. Aphids are often controlled by natural enemies such as ladybird beetles, aphidlions, and lacewings. However, when economically or aesthetically damaging numbers are present, they can be controlled by insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, and other traditional insecticides.

 

Honeydew production

Ants may guard and care for aphids in return for the honeydew (a sweet excretory product) they produce. Ants protect aphids from weather and natural enemies and transfer them from wilted to healthy plants. In this way the ants ensure their source of honeydew, which they use as food. Ants obtain honeydew by stroking, or “milking,” the aphids. Common types of aphids include the following:

 

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Uploaded on March 25, 2016
Taken on March 25, 2016