Aphids

(Length: 1/16″- 1/8″) Aphids, or “plant lice”, are soft-bodied pear shaped insects generally less than 1/8 inch long. Their color varies by species, but the common ones are usually green, yellow or black. They have the ability to reproduce rapidly, and their populations are most abundant in the spring. Aphids have piercing-sucking mouthparts and cause damage by sucking the plant juices. They are commonly found on stems, undersides of leaves or on flower buds and are especially troublesome on plants in shaded areas. Their feeding causes the leaves to curl or crinkle and flower buds may become hardened causing the flowers to be distorted.