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Introduction
Introduction
"Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly,[a] although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A typical life cycle involves flightless females giving live birth to female nymphs—who may also be already pregnant, an adaptation scientists call telescoping generations—without the involvement of males. Maturing rapidly, females breed profusely so that the number of these insects multiplies quickly. Winged females may develop later in the season, allowing the insects to colonize new plants. In temperate regions, a phase of sexual reproduction occurs in the autumn, with the insects often overwintering as eggs.
The life cycle of some species involves an alternation between two species of host plants, for example between an annual crop and a woody plant. Some species feed on only one type of plant, while others are generalists, colonizing many plant groups. About 5,000 species of aphid have been described, all included in the family Aphididae. Around 400 of these are found on food and fiber crops, and many are serious pests of agriculture and forestry, as well as an annoyance for gardeners. So-called dairying ants have a mutualistic relationship with aphids, tending them for their honeydew and protecting them from predators." - Wikipedia: Aphid
Destruction and Pesticide Resistance
Destruction and Pesticide Resistance
"Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions. In addition to weakening the plant by sucking sap, they act as vectors for plant viruses and disfigure ornamental plants with deposits of honeydew and the subsequent growth of sooty moulds. Because of their ability to rapidly increase in numbers by asexual reproduction and telescopic development, they are a highly successful group of organisms from an ecological standpoint.[1]
Large-scale control of aphids is not easy. Insecticides do not always produce reliable results, because of resistance to several classes of insecticide, and because aphids often feed on the undersides of leaves, and are thus shielded. On a small scale, water jets and soap sprays are quite effective. Natural enemies include predatory ladybugs, hoverfly larvae, parasitic wasps, aphid midge larvae, crab spiders, lacewing larvae, and entomopathogenic fungi. An integrated pest management strategy using biological pest control can work, but is difficult to achieve except in enclosed environments such as greenhouses." - Wikipedia: Aphid
Natural Predators
Natural Predators
Green lacewings "green lacewings will find patches that are infested and lay their eggs in that area, so that when the larvae hatch they have plenty to feed on. While the larvae of these helpful insects can sometimes be mistaken for bad bugs, they all feed on aphids and other plant pest bugs too." - USDA: Beetles Aphids and Flies Oh My
Syrphid flies
Wasps
Hoverflies
Hoverflies
Ladybirds or Ladybugs
Ladybirds or Ladybugs
Resources & Guides
Resources & Guides
Pest Control
Pest Control
Beetle Banks for Beneficial Insects "Beetle banks are linear strips of perennial native bunch grasses that provide overwintering shelter for predatory ground beetles, spiders, and other beneficial invertebrates. These grassy strips are sometimes interplanted with native wildflowers to increase plant diversity and support pollinators and other beneficial insects that consume pollen and/or nectar. Beetle banks are planted within or adjacent to crop fields to promote movement of predators into the crops. When beetle banks are present on farms, natural predators have more opportunities to colonize crop fields and regulate crop pests.
The use of beetle banks as a conservation practice originated in Great Britain, where they are now a common method to regulate grain pests such as aphids and blossom midges. In the United States, beetle banks are increasingly being adopted in the Pacific Northwest, Upper Midwest, and elsewhere, in a wide variety of cropping systems including large-scale grain crops and vegetable production. Overall, beetle banks are a great tool to support beneficial insects, pollinators, and other wildlife on farms, especially when existing shelter and floral resources are limited.
This fact sheet provides information on planning, locating, and installing beetle banks in the Upper Midwest, including recommended grasses and flowers that can be planted."
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