Oleander Aphid

Gardens, landscapes, and nurseries; typically found on host plants such as oleander, milkweed, and desert azalea.

Herbivorous; they pierce plant tissues with their mouthparts to suck out sap (phloem), specifically from plants in the Apocynaceae family.

They are gregarious, often forming large colonies on new growth. Populations are almost entirely female and reproduce through parthenogenesis (cloning). They sequester toxins from their host plants as a defense against predators.

Considered a garden pest as they can cause leaf curling, stunted growth, and the secretion of honeydew which leads to sooty mold. They are hazardous to host plants but serve as a food source for beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings.