Foxglove aphid

Aulacorthum solani

1. Identification

• Common name: Glasshouse‑potato aphid (designation frequently used in technical literature, although shared with other species) or foxglove aphid
• Scientific name: Aulacorthum solani Kaltenbach
• Order: Hemiptera
• Family: Aphididae

2. Pest description

• Apterous adults: Oval body, light green to yellowish‑green; long, cylindrical, dark siphunculi; clear and relatively long cauda.
• Winged adults: Dark head and thorax; transparent wings; yellowish‑green abdomen.
• Nymphs: Similar to apterous adults, but smaller and with a lighter colouration.

3. Main hosts

• Highly polyphagous species, occurring on horticultural crops such as potato, tomato, pepper, lettuce, strawberry and ornamentals.
• Also present on various spontaneous plants, which facilitates its dispersal.

4. Symptoms and damage

• Curling and deformation of young leaves.
• Reduced vigour and delayed growth.
• Excretion of honeydew, favouring sooty mould.
• It can cause significant indirect damage through virus transmission, including potato mosaic virus and cucumber mosaic virus.

5. Biological cycle

• Species generally anholocyclic in temperate climates, reproducing by parthenogenesis during much of the year.
• High reproductive rate, with multiple generations per year.
• Populations increase rapidly in mild climate conditions and high host availability.
• Ability to rapidly colonise greenhouses and protected crops.

6. Monitoring

• Direct observation of the underside of the leaves and of the young shoots.
• Counting of individuals per leaf or per plant.
• Assessment of the presence of honeydew and of natural beneficials.
• Frequent monitoring is essential in greenhouses due to the rapid population growth.

7. Management measures

• Cultural: Removal of heavily infested plants; management of spontaneous vegetation; avoid excess nitrogen; reinforcement of ventilation in greenhouses.
• Biological: Conservation of beneficials such as Coccinellidae, Syrphidae, Chrysopidae and Aphidiinae parasitoids.
• Integrated protection: Intervention only when necessary; preference for selective products compatible with beneficials; special attention to protected crops.

Bibliographic references

• Blackman, R. L., & Eastop, V. F. (2000). Aphids on the World’s Crops: An Identification and Information Guide. Wiley.
• van Emden, H. F., & Harrington, R. (2017). Aphids as Crop Pests (2nd ed.). CABI.
• Radcliffe, E. B., & Ragsdale, D. W. (2002). “Aphid-transmitted viruses.” In: Plant Virus Vector Interactions. APS Press.
• Dixon, A. F. G. (1998). Aphid Ecology: An Optimization Approach. Chapman & Hall.