- Worldwide distribution. Common among Pacific island countries on food legumes.
- Nymphs slate grey, adults shiny brown or black. In tropics, young born alive. Overcrowding produces winged adults. Spread on the wing and on wind currents.
- Damage severe if infestations early: (i) directly by sap-sucking adults and nymphs damaging shoots, pods and causing stunting (toxins are produced) or wilting, or (ii) indirectly spreading (more than 30) viruses and production of honeydew attracting sooty moulds.
- Natural enemies: ladybird beetles, lacewings, hoverflies; parasitoid wasps, e.g., Trioxys indicus.
- Cultural control: avoid planting next to, or down-wind from infested crops; weed (especially wild legume hosts); remove infested leaves; destroy ant colonies with boiling water (or insecticides); collect and destroy debris after harvest.
- Chemical control: (i) PDPs (derris, chilli, garlic, neem, pyrethrum); (ii) soap solution, horticultural or white oils (see Fact Sheet no. 56). Preserve natural enemies, avoid broad-spectrum insecticides. Only use e.g., synthetic pyrethroids to kill ants.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Cowpea aphid (356)
Cowpea aphid, groundnut aphid, bean aphid, black legume aphid.
Aphis craccivora
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI Aphis craccivora (groundnut aphid) (2017) Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/6192); and Aphis craccivora Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphis_craccivora); and from Godfrey LD, et al. (2017) Alfalfa Cowpea Aphid UC/IPM. Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of California. (http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/r1301511.html). Photo1 Mani Mua, SPC, Sigatoka Research Station, Fiji. Photo 2 Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org.
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project HORT/2016/185: Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific islands, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.