Green apple aphid

Aphis pomi

1. Identification

• Common name: Green apple aphid
• Scientific name: Aphis pomi De Geer
• Order: Hemiptera
• Family: Aphididae

2. Pest description

• Apterous adults: Small body, light green; darker antennae and legs; dense colonies on young shoots.
• Alate adults: Darkened head and thorax; transparent wings; yellowish-green body.
• Nymphs: Similar to apterous adults, but smaller and with uniform green colouration.

3. Main hosts

• Primary host: Apple tree.
• Other occasional hosts: Pear trees and other rosaceous plants (less frequent).

4. Symptoms and damage

• Curling and deformation of young leaves.
• Reduced growth of shoots.
• Formation of dense colonies on tender leaves and buds.
• Excretion of honeydew, favouring the development of sooty mould.
• In severe attacks, it can compromise the development of young fruits.

5. Biological cycle

• Winter spent in the form of eggs on the branches of the apple tree.
• Hatching in early spring, coinciding with budbreak.
• Several parthenogenetic generations during spring and early summer.
• Populations decrease with high temperatures and high activity of beneficials.

6. Monitoring

• Direct observation of young shoots and curled leaves.
• Assessment of the presence of colonies, honeydew and sooty mould.
• Counting of individuals or colonies per shoot to support decision-making in integrated protection.

7. Management measures

• Cultural: Removal of heavily infested shoots; pruning that promotes aeration; avoiding excess vegetative vigour.
• Biological: Conservation of beneficials such as Coccinellidae, Syrphidae, Chrysopidae and Aphidiinae parasitoids.
• Integrated protection: Intervention only when population levels justify it; preference for selective methods compatible with beneficials.

Bibliographic references

• CABI. Aphis pomi datasheet.
• EPPO Global Database. Aphis pomi.
• van Emden, H. F., & Harrington, R. (2017). Aphids as Crop Pests (2nd ed.). CABI.