A Little Bit More
Aphids – generally green or black in color - are among our most common plant pests. Some kinds feed on specific plant species while others are generalists and are not at all picky. Although they seem to come out of nowhere each spring, aphid eggs were there on twigs and branches all winter long. Plants fed upon by aphids a wide range of species, including many different trees.
Aphids are usually seen on tender new growth as clusters of wingless females (no males at first!). As their population grows, crowding induces some to produce wings and fly off to colonize new areas. Through most of the summer, don’t look for aphid eggs. Females give birth to live females asexually (no male required). At the end of the summer, males are produced; females that mate with males at this time lay the overwintering eggs.
What’s the problem with aphids? Too many feeding on an individual plant can cause real damage. Their saliva can transmit plant diseases, and their honeydew encourages a fungal growth that interferes with photosynthesis. Fungal growth (looks like black soot on leaves and stems) may be the first sign that your trees have been colonized by aphids but ant activity also is a typical sign too. Before using any chemicals on infested plants, try dislodging the insects with a strong stream of water. If you can keep their numbers low, they can’t do much damage.
Activities
English & Science – Name that Insect
Objectives: Research a specific question
Materials: Access to internet and/or library
Often, animals and plants have multiple common names that can be quite confusing when we’re trying to learn new information. Depending on the part of the country you live in or people you’ve heard about aphids from, you’re likely to have heard about these insects called a variety of different names. Entomologists (scientists that specialize in insects) know these animals as aphids but many non-scientists do not.
See if your students can use the internet and/or library to research the variety of common names these insects are known by. Of course, three other common names are on our poster so some students may remember that and find their additional names from this source. There are quite a few different names used for aphids so this shouldn’t be too difficult for students to come up with at least a few of their labels.
Key Concepts
Populations and Ecosystems, Life Cycles, Identification, Growth and Development, Food Webs /Food Pyramids, Environmental Issues, Behavior and Regulation
Questions
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