Life cycle of an aphids

 All about aphid and there life cycle, how they reproduce, how they damage crops, how they develop, how to control them( cultural practices, biological practices, and chemical practices) 

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About an Aphid:- 

A very tiny insect have soft bodied peer shaped with long legs and antennae. 

may be green, yellow, brown, red or black depending on the species and the host.

a few species are appear waxy or wolly due to the secretion of a waxy white or grey substance over their body surface. 

Have a cornicles:- the presence of Cornicles distinguishes aphid from all other insect, a pair of horn shaped tubes located on the dorsal side of an aphids abdomen that secrete a defensive wax fluid and alarm pheromones to deter predators and alert other aphid from danger. 

Generally adult aphids are wingless but occurs in winged form when population becomes high on the same host.

They are found on the underside of lgrowt, on stems, on new buds or other new succulent plant growth. 

Aphids are not fast mover, they tend to stay in clusters/groups, but if disturbed they are unlikely to move quickly. 

You may notice a sticky, clear, sugary substances called honeydew on leaves and other surface which is the byproduct of aphids feeding or aphid waste. honeydew can lead to the growth of black Sooty mold on the plant.

Ants are found on plants with infestations as they feed on the honeydew. 

LIFE CYCLE:- 

They give birth to living youngs( called vivipary) parthenogenatically. Producing one to many female offspring for an average 30 days adult lifespan. 

They also lays eggs( mostly after matting with ♂️ male's). 

The first few generation usually consists of wingless individuals, but when crowding occurs, winged aphids are produced in many species. 

The winged aphids migrate to a new host where life cycle of aphid again starts as same. 

Young aphids are called nymphs. 

Damage:- 

sucks host phloem sap.

sometime causing host to wilt.

salivary enzymes injected into host during feeding can clock the vascular system in some plants, causing yellowing spots, distorted growth and necrosis(tissue death).

summer aphid carries some viruses that harms crop very badly. 

They excrete tremendous amount of liquid sugary Waste called as honeydew. honeydew are Shiny and sticky to the touch and Can attract many insects such ants, bees wasps and flies etc. 

In high humidity condition sooty mold fungi form on the honeydew that blacken the foliage and stops photosynthesis process in plants, so plant can't make enough and due to efficiency of the proper food the plant may die later. 

Due to a feed infestation fruits looks very bad and new sprouting get stopped. 

IPM ( Integrated Pest Management):-

Check your plant regularly for Aphid infestation.

once aphid number are high it's often difficult to control these pest, because they cause leaves to curl, the curled leaves protecting the aphid from the  insecticides and natural enemies. 

Many aphid species are stay at the under side of leaves so turn leaves over, when scouting and checking for pest. 

Ants are the clue for an aphid infestation, if you see large number of ants climbing your tree trunks, check higher up the tree for aphids or other honeydew, to protect their food source ants killed many Predator and parasites of aphid. 

Cultural control:- 

Regular scouting where aphid population are localized on a few curled leave or new shoots, prune out These areas and dispose of them.

high level of Nitrogen fertilizer favour aphids reproduction, so never use more nitrogen than necessary.

many vegetables are susceptible to serious aphid damage during the seedling stage, so make nursery of them the under protected areas and transplant them when the seedling are ready. 

for small number of plants strong stream of water can be spread for controlling aphid, the aphids are so disturbed when they are knocked off from their host that they unable to find the plants(host) again or settle to feed. 

Use flowering plants that attract natural enemies such as carrot family,sunflower family, marigold, buckwheat,spearmint, rye grass, Dill, mustered, sweet clove etc

crop rotation is must. 

Uses of sticky traps( yellow ). 

Biological Control:- 

Uses of natural enemies who destroying aphids population. 

Predators:-  aphids are food for a variety of predatory insects and spiders including mynute pirate bug, predatory stink bugs, damsel bugs, smaller Assassin bugs, big eyed bugs, syrphid flies, Many species of lady beetles etc. 

Parasitoid:-  some insects are parasitoised of aphid, that they lays there eggs inside the body of an aphid, the skin of the parasitoised aphid turns crusty and golden brown called as mummies. So once you begin to see mummies on your plans, the aphid population is likely to be reduced substantially.

aphids are very susceptible to fungal diseases when it is humid, these pathogen can kill entire colonies of aphids when conditions are right. 

Chemical control:- if infestation becomes high and uncontrollable through biological and cultural methods then we use chemical methods for controlling aphids. 

We uses these chemical as follow :-

1. Betacyfluthrin 8.49% + imidacloprid
2. Phosphamidon 40% SL
3. Thiometon 25%EC
4. Acephate 75%SP
5. Acitamiprid 20%SP
6. Buprofezin 25%SC
7. Carbosulfane 25%DS
8. Cyantraniliprole 10.26%OD
9. Emamectin Benzoate %1.1
10. Filronil 5%SC
11. Imidacloprid 70%WG
12. Monocrotophos 15%SG

CONCLUSION:- 

Aphids infestation are present on various vegetables crops, ornamental plants, trees etc. 

And if are not controlled on time then they causes severe damage to the crops and others. 

So controlling aphids population at early stages either by biological method or chemical methods. 

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