Identification key

Identification key for frequent aphids on strawberry

Identification based on morphological criteria, click on the name to access identification file

1

 - Aphid with cornicles swollen → 2

 - Aphid with cornicles straight → 3

2

 - Apterous olive-tinged, dirty yellow or slightly pinkish with abdomen bulging; antennae long, fine and arcuate; cornicles club-shaped; small cauda, triangular; alate dark with dorsal patch and wings smudged
Myzus ascalonicus

 - Apterous green to yellowish, colony includes pinkish individuals which are the future alates (nymphs); antennae straight; cornicles slightly swollen on inner side; alate with dorsal patch jagged and perforated
Myzus persicae

3

 - Aphids with cornicles straight and short → 4

 - Aphids with cornicles straight and long → 5

4

 - Apterous brownish or dark green; cornicles short and straight; alate with large marginal sclerites
Aphis forbesi

 - Apterous yellowish; abdomen showing pigmented spots between each segment; antennae equal in length to half the body; cauda triangular, linguate; alate with dorsal patch roughly square that can be interrupted; antennae equal to half length of body; cornicles slightly pigmented; cauda short, triangular
Myzus ornatus

5

 - Apterous small-sized, translucent and blending in with the plant, covered with clearly visible hairs; cornicles light-coloured, cylindrical, slightly arcuate; cauda broad;  alate with dorsal patch roughly square with small tubercles; cornicles straight, slightly pigmented; cauda short, pointed
Chaetosiphon fragaefolii

 - Apterous not translucent, easily visible on plant → 6

6

 - Apterous green to yellowish green, glossy, piriform with spots dark green  at base of cornicles  or green with darker inter-segmental streaks; antennae long, darkened at segmental sutures; cornicles light-coloured, straight with a dark flange at tip; cauda digitate; alate with marginal sclerites and dorsal patch more or less diffuse; antennae dark; veins stand out clearly on wings
Aulacorthum solani

 - Apterous brownish green with appendages (antennae, legs, cornicles and cauda) ochre-toned; cauda elongate; alate with marginal sclerites and dorsal patch more or less diffuse; antennae dark; veins stand out clearly on wings
Rhodobium porosum

 - Apterous  with uniform pigmentation, yellowish green to green or pink → 7

7

 - Apterous yellowish green, eyes red; cornicles straight, long and fine; cauda broad, pale;   alate devoid of dorsal pigmentation, cornicles straight, long, fine and can be slightly coloured, cauda broad
Acyrthosiphon malvae

 - Apterous green or pink, elongate, large-sized; antennae same length as body, slightly pigmented; cornicles long, cylindrical, darkening towards the tip; cauda long and light-coloured;  alate without abdominal pigmentation; antennae and cornicles darkening towards their tips; cauda long and light-coloured
Macrosiphum euphorbiae

See visual identification