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        Habitus

Classification

Aphidinae: Macrosiphini

Common name(s)

Mustard aphid

Diagnosis

Apterae small to medium-sized, yellowish green, grey green, or olive green, with a white wax bloom; in humid conditions often more densely coated with wax. Alatae have a dusky green abdomen with conspicuous dark lateral sclerites, and dusky wing veins. Sometimes in large numbers on the undersides of leaves, which may curl and turn yellow, or in inflorescences. Apterae 1.4-2.4 mm, alatae 1.4-2.2 mm. Easily identified by the presence of equidistant pleural oily patches on abdominal segments 1-4 and spinal bigger patches on segments 5-7, bases of siphunculi with oily patch at the base.

Host plant(s)

Brassicaceae: Brassica juncea (L.), Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata, Brassica campestris L., Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis, Brassica oleracea L. var. gongyloides, Raphanus sativus L.; Capparidaceae: Gynandropsis pentaphylla (L.) DC.

Very common on B. juncea, colonies found on cabbage and radish in the later stages of the crop just before harvest.

Measurements

Aptera: Length of body 1.44, width 0.80; antennae 0.94, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.26: 0.10: 0.10: (0.10+0.20); u.r.s. 0.09; h.t.2 0.12; siphunculus 0.18; cauda 0.16.
Alata: Length of body 1.49, width 0.98; antennae 0.94, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.26: 0.11: 0.11: (0.11+0.21); u.r.s. 0.10; h.t.2 0.12; siphunculus 0.17; cauda 0.15.

Seasonal occurrence

September - March.

Natural enemies

Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.), Adalia tetraspilota (Hope), Anegleis cardoni (Weise), Coccinella transversalis F., C. undecimpunctata L., Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), Propylea japonica (Thunberg), P. luteopustulata (Mulsant), Pseudaspidimerus trinotatus (Thunberg), Nephus regularis Sicard, Scymnus (Pullus) pyrocheilus Mulsant,S. (P.) xerampelinus Mulsant.

Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae: Aphelinus asychis (Walker), A. albipodus Hayat & Fatima.

Braconidae: Aphidiinae: Aphidius matricariae Haliday, Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh), Lysaphidus erysimi Stary, Praon volucre (Haliday).

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