Woolly Aphid

Natural Habitat

Found on various host plants, including apple trees, elms, and hawthorns, often in gardens and agricultural settings.

Diet & Feeding

Plant sap (phloem), extracted from stems, leaves, or roots using piercing-sucking mouthparts.

Behavior Patterns

They secrete white, fluffy wax filaments for protection from predators and desiccation. They often aggregate in colonies and have complex life cycles involving different host plants.

Risks & Benefits

Economic pests that can cause leaf curling, galls, and secondary fungal growth (sooty mold) via honeydew excretion. They are beneficial as a food source for lacewings and ladybugs.

Identified on: 4/23/2026