Green peach aphid

Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

(Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Adults are 1.5 to 2.0 mm long and occur as winged and wingless morphs. Winged adults have a black head and thorax and a yellowish-green abdomen with a dark, dorsal patch. Wingless adults are yellow or pale green, sometimes with longitudinal green stripes. The minute (0.6 mm long) eggs are initially yellow or green and turn black before hatch. Nymphs are yellow and resemble smaller versions of wingless adults.

The life cycle is completed within 10 to 12 days, and up to 30 generations may occur per year. Depending on the season, females deposits eggs in winter or hatched nymphs in summer.

Myzus persicae has a global distribution including all areas of North America. It is an important vector of plant pathogenic viruses and is considered a serious field and greenhouse pest.

Peach but also plum and apricot are preferred winter hosts. During the summer, green peach aphid populations disperse to secondary hosts, including hundreds of vegetable, field, fruit and flower crops from over 40 plant families.

Images 

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Wingless female adult of green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

(Photographer: Lyle Buss, University of Florida)

Winged adult (alate) of green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

(Photographer: Lyle Buss, University of Florida)

Nymphs (bottom right) and adult (center) of green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

(Photographer: Lyle Buss, University of Florida)