Wooly aphid (Eriosoma lanigerum, Aphididae, Homoptera)
Damaging stag: Nymph and adult
Damaging symptoms:
- Swellings on bark or roots.
- On roots, nodular masses of gall tissue may form.
- Foliage-feeding species can cause infested leaves to curl, distort, discolor, or form into galls.
- Secrete honeydew, which results in growth of blackish sooty mold.
Identification
- Woolly aphid adults are pear shaped, usually 13 inch or less in length, and cover themselves with white waxy material.
- Specialized dermal glands produce the characteristics fluffy or powdery wax, which gives lanigerum its characteristics woolly appearance.
- Blood stain when
- Flocculant wax
- Reproduction takes place
- Adult: reddish brown
- Nymph: purplish
Management
- Destroy infested branches, twigs and trunks along with aphid
- Release and exotic nymphal parasitoid Aphelinus mali to suppress aphid It parasitizes all stages, but prefers third-instar nymphs.
- Encourage building of lady bird beetle population in the woody aphid infested apple
- Spray mineral oil @ 10-15 ml per liter water as a foliar spray in apple Repeat spray after 7 days for 3 times.
- Dip roots of sapling in 1% solution of Fenitrothion or Dichlorovs just before planting
- Spray Biomite or Ramban @ 66 ml per liter water as a foliar spray in apple trees. Repeat spray after 7 days for 3 times