Black peach aphid

Insect

Black peach aphid

Brachycaudus persicae (Passerini)

Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae

Distribution: Widespread in most stone fruit-growing states and provinces in eastern North America.

Photos

Feeding on young roots causes stunted growth.

Feeding on young roots causes stunted growth. Peter Shearer, Rutgers Univ.
B

These smooth-looking, pear-shaped insects have long antennae and a pair of cornicles extending from the posterior end of the body. Adults are shiny and black (A). Nymphs are reddish-brown.

  • Crops Affected: peaches, plums

    Damage

    Black peach aphid feeds on the roots of young peach and plum trees (B), causing stunted growth and predisposing them to other damage. Foliar colonies form in the spring, and can cause leaf curling, yellowing and premature drop. Some fruit distortion may occur, and honeydew from large colonies causes leaf spotting and sooty mold on the fruit.

    Management

    Black peach aphid is rarely a serious pest in commercial orchards. Motile forms can be treated with an insecticide as they appear in the spring. Conservation of natural enemies will contribute to management efforts.

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