
Community identification
Woolly Aphid
Eriosomatinae (Subfamily)
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera, Family: Aphididae
- Size
- Typically 1-2 mm in length, but appear larger due to their waxy covering.
Natural Habitat
Found on various host plants, including apple trees, elms, and conifers; often seen on stems, leaves, and twigs where they form colonies.
Diet & Feeding
Sap-suckers; they feed on plant fluids from leaves, twigs, branches, and roots.
Behavior Patterns
Notable for producing a white, waxy, cotton-like substance to cover their bodies for protection. They often cluster in dense colonies and can cause galls or deformed leaves on host plants.
Risks & Benefits
Risks: Can be pests to ornamental plants and fruit trees, causing aesthetic damage and sometimes stunting growth. Benefits: They produce honeydew which is a food source for ants and other insects; they are generally harmless to humans.