Classification

Aphidinae: Aphidini

Common name(s)

Oleander aphid, nerium aphid

Diagnosis

Apterae bright orange-yellow with black siphunculi and cauda; antennae and legs also predominantly dark. Alatae yellow with dark wing veins and pigmented thorax. Antenna about 3/5 as long as body, apices of segments I and III dusky, whole of II and apices of II and apices of IV and V and whole VI dark. Siphunculi and cauda black; cauda with 9-18 hairs.

The aphid forms dense colonies on young stems, tendrils and leaves of the host plants. The aphid is very easy to identify because of its unique bright yellow-orange colour and dark brown appendages.

Distribution

Widely distributed through the Old and New World tropics and subtropics, including many Pacific islands. India: Throughout north; Andhra Pradesh; Karnataka; Maharashtra; Tamil Nadu.

Host plant(s)

Asclepiadaceae: Asclepias curassavica Griseb., Asclepias physocarpa Schlechter, Calotropis gigantea (Linn.) W.T.Aiton, Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T.Aiton, Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) Schult., Holostemma annularis Schum., Leptadenia reticulata Wight, Marsdenia volubilis Cooke, Pergularia extensa N.E.Brown, Tylophora indica Merrill; Crassulaceae: Bryophyllum pinnatum Aschers.et Schweinf.; Apocynaceae: Nerium sp.; Solanaceae: Solanum melongena L.

Measurements

Aptera: Length of body 2.40, width 1.41; antennae 1.48, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.40: 0.29: 0.19: (0.12+0.39); u.r.s. 0.15; h.t.2 0.12; siphunculus 0.57; cauda 0.26.
Alata: Length of body 2.21, width 1.06; antennae 1.35, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.41: 0.36: 0.25: (0.12+0.40); u.r.s. 0.12; h.t.2 0.11; siphunculus 0.39; cauda 0.19.

Seasonal occurrence

June -July and January - February

Natural enemies

Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Brumoides suturalis (F.), Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.), Coccinella transversalis F., C. undecimpunctata L., Propylea japonica (Thunberg), Pseudaspidimerus trinotatus (Thunberg), Scymnus (Pullus) latemaculatus Motschulsky, S. (P.) castaneus Sicard, S. (P.) xerampelinus Mulsant, S. (S.) nubilus Mulsant.

Diptera: Syrphidae: Ischiodon scutellaris (F.).

Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae: Lipolexis scutellaris Mackauer, Toxares deltiger (Haliday).

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	Habitus