Tag: Pea aphid

Aphids in field crops

Aphid populations can quickly increase at this point in the season and particularly when growing conditions are warm and dry. Access the Provincial Insect Pest Report for Wk12 to remain alert to areas and crops suffering from aphid pest pressure.

**Figure 1**. Pea aphid adults (each 3-4 mm long) and nymph. Photo: M. Dolinski.

Biological and monitoring information (including tips for scouting and economic thresholds) related to aphids in field crops is posted by:
• Manitoba Agriculture (aphids on cereals, aphids on flax, soybean aphid, aphids on peas)
• Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (aphids in pulse crops or access the PDF copy)
• Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
• Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (soybean aphids: identification, scouting and management or access the PDF copy)
• The Canola Council of Canada’s “Canola Encyclopedia” section on aphids
• or check your provincial commodity group’s insect pest webpages for more detailed information.

Alternatively, several aphid pest species are described in the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018) and is accessible as a free downloadable PDF in either English or French on our Field Guides page. PDF copies of the individual pages have been linked below to access quickly:
• Corn leaf aphid or Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch)
• English grain aphid or Sitobion (Macrosiphum) avenae (Fabricius)
• Oat-birdcherry aphid or Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus)
• Pea aphid or Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)
• Potato aphid or Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas)
• Soybean aphid or Aphis glycines (Matsumura)
• Turnip aphid or Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach)
• Sugar beet root aphid or Pemphigus betae Doane
• Russian wheat aphid or Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko)

Over the years, both the Weekly Updates and Insect of the Week have included aphid-related information but also important natural enemy details to support in-field scouting. Review the list below so pest and beneficial insects can be distinguished readily when scouting fields:
• Aphidius wasp (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk15)
• Aphids in canola (Insect of the Week; 2016 Wk13)
• Aphids in cereals (Insect of the Week; 2017 Wk09)
• Cereal aphid manager APP (Weekly Update; 2021 Wk07) that presently is available only for iOS
• Ladybird larva vs. lacewing larva (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk18)
• Ladybird beetles and mummies (Weekly Update; 2020 Wk15)
• Lygus bug nymphs vs. aphids (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk16)
• Hoverflies vs. bees vs. yellow jacket wasps (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk19)
• Pea aphids: a persistent problem for legume growers (Insect of the Week; 2021 Wk12)
• Soybean aphids and aphid annihilating allies (Insect of the Week; 2022 Wk07)
• Syrphid flies (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk16)

Aphids in field crops

Aphid populations can quickly increase at this point in the season and particularly when growing conditions are warm and dry. Over the years, both the Weekly Updates and Insect of the Week included aphid-related information so here’s a list of these items to access when scouting fields:

• Aphidius wasp (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk15)
• Aphids in canola (Insect of the Week; 2016 Wk13)
• Aphids in cereals (Insect of the Week; 2017 Wk09)
• Cereal aphid manager APP (Weekly Update; 2021 Wk07) that presently is available only for iOS
• Ladybird larva vs. lacewing larva (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk18)
• Ladybird beetles and mummies (Weekly Update; 2020 Wk15)
• Lygus bug nymphs vs. aphids (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk16)
• Hoverflies vs. bees vs. yellow jacket wasps (Insect of the Week; 2019 Wk19)
• Pea aphids: a persistent problem for legume growers (Insect of the Week; 2021 Wk12)
• Soybean aphids and aphid annihilating allies (Insect of the Week; 2022 Wk07)
• Syrphid flies (Insect of the Week; 2015 Wk16)

Insect of the Week – Natural enemies of pea aphids

Populations of pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae), can be kept below the economic threshold by their natural enemies if these are present early and in sufficient numbers. Natural enemies include parasitoids, predators, and diseases that reduce pest populations.

Predators of pea aphids include ladybird beetles (adults and larvae), syrphid fly larvae, and damsel bugs. These predators catch and eat pea aphids of all ages and sizes. They are classified as generalists because they also prey on other insect species.

The many faces of the adult harlequin ladybeetle
(aka multicoloured Asian ladybeetle) (Photo: ©Entomart)

Harlequin ladybeetle larva (Photo: cc by-sa Quartl)

Pea aphids are attacked by several species of parasitoid, including Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae: Aphidiinae). Female parasitoids lay individual eggs inside aphid nymphs. After hatching, the parasitoid larva consumes its host, eventually killing it. The parasitoid pupates inside the dead or mummified aphid before a new adult parasitoid emerges.

Aphid mummies look bloated and discoloured compared to healthy adult aphids. Parasitism rates can be estimated by counting the number of aphid mummies on five host plants at five locations within a field.

*Aphidius ervi* parasitoid (Photo: cc by Penny Greeves)

For more information about the predators and parasitoids of pea aphids, visit the Insect of the Week page or consult Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and Management Field Guide.

To learn more about some of the natural enemies fighting pests in background for free, go to www.fieldheroes.ca or follow @FieldHeroes on Twitter.

Blog post submitted by Dr. Meghan Vankosky.
Follow her at @Vanbugsky.

Insect of the Week – Pea aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

This week’s insect of the week is the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum). This long-legged, pear-shaped aphid is 3-4 mm long, light to dark green and each antennal segment is tipped by a black band. It feeds on field peas, alfalfa, broad beans, chickpeas, clover and lentils. Feeding damage can reduce yields due to lower seed formation and seed size. Leaves may turn yellow and overall plant growth can be delayed.

Pea aphids overwinter as eggs on the leaves and stems of perennial legumes (eg. clover or alfalfa crowns). They produce 2-3 generations asexually before winged females migrate to summer host crops where several more generations are produced. Winged sexual forms develop in late summer that mate and females return to winter host crops to lay eggs.

For more information about pea aphids, see our Insect of the Week page!