Bark Aphids: All You Need to Know for a Healthy Garden

Bark aphids are a common pest that can cause damage to a variety of plants.

These small, soft-bodied insects are typically found on the bark of trees and shrubs, feeding on the plant’s sap.

Female Bark aphids are usually, 6 mm in length, with a 3.5 mm wide abdomen, 3 mm long antennae, and 9 mm long posterior legs. Winged aphids are slightly bigger.

In color, they are either light or dark brown and may have a few small spots here and there on their bodies.

It’s important for gardeners and homeowners to understand how to identify and manage bark aphids effectively.

To help control these pests, you can use less toxic methods such as periodic strong sprays of water or employ biological control methods, like introducing beneficial insects.

Being well-informed about these insects and their behavior can make a significant difference in maintaining the health of your plants.

What are Bark Aphids?

Bark aphids are small insects that belong to the family Aphididae. They primarily feed on plant sap from the bark, leaves, and other parts of their host plants.

Species Information

• Domain: Eukaryota
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Hemiptera
• Suborder: Sternorrhyncha
• Family: Aphididae
• Genus: Longistigma
• Species: L. caryae

Physical Characteristics

• Size: Usually 6 mm long
• Body shape: Pear-shaped
• Antennae: Two long antennae present
• Wings: May develop wings to migrate
• Soft-bodied
• Brown colored

Life Cycle

1. Eggs: Laid on host plants in winter
2. Nymphs: Hatch in spring and go through four stages
3. Adults: Winged or wingless, reproduce

The life cycle of bark aphids consists of the following stages:

Bark Aphids and Plants

Feeding Habits

Bark aphids feed on the sap of plants. They use their slender “beak” to pierce the bark, stems, or leaves of various plants and suck out the sap.

These feeding habits make them a nuisance when they infest plants in great numbers. Bark aphids usually attack trees, shrubs and vegetable plants

As per BugGuide it can attack the following trees:  “American elm, live oak, pine oak, blackjack oak, post oak, hickory, sycamore, pecan, and golden rain tree.”

Impact on Plant Health

These tiny pests can cause significant damage to plants if left unchecked. Their feeding on plant sap leads to several issues, such as:

Honeydew: As aphids feed on plant sap, they excrete a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew. This can lead to other pest infestations or cause a sticky residue on surfaces.

Sooty mold: Honeydew can also promote the growth of sooty mold, a black mold that grows on the honeydew and can block sunlight, hindering photosynthesis.

Galls: Some species of aphids inject a substance into the plant tissue as they feed, causing abnormal growths called galls. These galls can disfigure the plant and inhibit growth.

Apart from this, bark aphids can event transmit viral diseases to plants as they feed.

Bark Aphids and Other Insects

Natural Predators

Bark aphids have several natural predators that help control their populations, including:

• Ladybugs: Effective predators known to consume aphids
• Lacewings: Their larvae, known as lacewing larvae, are skilled at hunting aphids
• Parasitic wasps: Lay eggs inside aphids, eventually killing them while providing a food source for the wasp larvae
• Hoverflies: Their larvae feed on aphids

Aphids and Ants

Ants and aphids share a mutually beneficial relationship. Ants feed on the honeydew produced by aphids, while the aphids receive protection from ants against potential predators like ladybugs and lacewings.

This ant-aphid relationship can result in large numbers of aphids on trees and shrubs.

Breaking the aphid-ant relationship helps to reduce aphid infestations and allows beneficial insects to naturally control aphid populations.

By minimizing honeydew-producing insects, ants can be discouraged and attracted to alternative food sources, promoting the presence of aphids’ natural predators.

Conclusion

In conclusion, bark aphids are small, brown, pear-shaped insects that belong to the aphid family.

They pierce the bark, stems, or leaves of trees, shrubs, and vegetable plants and suck out the sap. These pests produce honeydew, a sticky substance that attracts ants and sooty mold.

They can also cause galls and transmit viral diseases to plants. You can use natural predators, such as ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps, and hoverflies, to help control their populations.