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Hosts

The crescentmarked lily aphid attacks many plants in the field and greenhouse. In temperate climates, this aphid is primarily a pest of greenhouse crops. Reported food hosts include: Adianthum, Calla, Cineraria, Cyclamen, Fuchsia (Hille Ris Lambers, 1949) and Zantedeschia (Blackman and Eastop, 1984). Agricultural crops in Hawaii attacked by this aphid include burdock (gobo), papaya and poha (Physalis peruvianaL.). Additional ornamental hosts in Hawaii include ferns, pansies (Viola tricolor L.) and native shrubby violets (Viola sp.) (Timberlake, 1924).

Distribution

This aphid has a cosmopolitan distribution, probably transported by the activities of man. The general distribution includes Argentina, Belgium, Formosa, Great Britain, Hawaii, Ireland, Latvia, Morocco, Sumatra, Sweden, Switzerland and the US mainland. In Hawaii, it is present on Hawaii, Maui, and Oahu in greenhouse and field crops.

Damage

Aphids feed by sucking sap from their hosts. This often causes the plants to become deformed, the leaves become curled and shriveled and in some cases, galls are formed on the leaves (Metcalf, 1962).

Biology

Since winters are mild in Hawaii, there is no need for an over wintering egg stage. Reproduction does not involve mating and egg laying. Females give birth to live female nymphs. As a consequence of this type of reproduction, populations are composed solely of females.

There are many continuous generations of this aphid throughout the year in Hawaii.

Eggs 

Eggs are not laid in Hawaii.

Nymphs 

The immature or nymphal form of this aphid is pale greenish white and does not have the dark bands founds on the adult.

Adults 

Adult aphids may be either apterous (without wings), or alate (with wings). The alate form is rare. 

The apterous female is whitish to pale bright green, shiny and 1/18 to 1/12 inch long. The tip of the abdomen usually has a dark brown to black horseshoe-shaped patch (Blackman and Eastop, 1984). Antennae are pale with black joints and about 1 1/10 times the length of the body. Legs are pale brownish yellow and slightly darker at the tips. Eyes are dark red. Refer to Hille Ris Lambers (1949) for a detailed microscopic description.

The alate female is pale green with a black head and thorax. The body is slightly longer than the apterous form. The antennae are longer than the body and black. Legs are long, thin and dark. The wings are about 1/3 inch in wingspan and similar in shape and structure to those found on other aphids.

Behavior

No information at this time.

Management

Non-Chemical Control

There are several factors that naturally control aphid populations. Many aphids are naturally controlled by predators, parasites, and pathogens. High temperatures increase mortality. Heavy rainfall washes aphids off plants (Hughes, 1963; Maelzer, 1977), however, this mortality factor is small because aphids usually gather on the protected under surface of leaves, where they are less likely to be washed off (Walker et al., 1984).

Chemical Control

Insecticidal soaps offer some control against aphids. Applications should be applied at regular intervals for maximum efficacy (Koehler et al., 1983).

References

Blackman, R.L. and V.F. Eastop. 1984. Aulacorthum (Neomyzus) circumflexum(Buckton). pp. 239-240. In: Aphids on the World's Crops: An Identification and Information Guide. John Wiley & Sons: Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore. 466 pages.

Elmer, H.S. and O.L. Brawner. 1975. Control of Brown Soft Scale in Central Valley. Citrograph. 60(11): 402-403.

Essig, E.O. 1938. The Lily Aphid. Hilgardia. 11(9): 476-478.

Fullaway, D.T. 1909. Macrosiphum circumflexum (Buckt.). pp. 26-27. Ann. Report Hawaii Agric. Exp. Sta. 

Gillette, C.P. 1908. Myzus vincae. Canadian Entomologist. 40:19.

Hille Ris Lambers, D. 1949. Contributions to a Monograph of the Aphididae of Europe. Temmincka. 8: 198-201.

Hughes, R.D. 1963. Population Dynamics of the Cabbage Aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae. J. Anim. Ecol. 32: 393-424.

Koehler, C.S., L.W. Barclay and T.M. Kretchum. 1983. Pests in the Home Garden. California Agriculture. 37(9/10):11-12.

Maelzer, D.A. 1977. The Biology and Main Causes of Changes in Numbers of the Rose Aphid, Macrosiphium rosae (L.) on Cultivated Roses in South Australia. Austral. J. Zool. 25: 269-284.

Metcalf, R.L. 1962. Destructive and Useful Insects Their Habits and Control. McGraw-Hill Book Company; New York, San Francisco, Toronto, London. 1087 pages.

Theobald, F.V. 1913. Macrosiphium circumflexum (Buckton). J. Econ. Biol. 8: 116-118.

Timberlake, P.H. 1924. 25. Aulacorthum circumflexum (Buckton). Proc. Hawaiian Entomol. Soc. 5(3): 457.

Toba, H.H. 1962. Studies on the Host Range of Watermelon Mosaic Virus in Hawaii. Plant Dis. 46: 409-410.

Walker, G.P., L.R. Nault and D.E. Simonet. 1984. Natural Mortality Factors Acting on Potato Aphid (Macrosiphium euphorbiae) Populations in Processing-Tomato Fields in Ohio. Environ. Entomol. 13(3): 724-732.

OCT/1992.

N-CIRCUM

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