Aphis farinosa Gmelin, 1790

Morphological characters  

1.6-2.5 mm
Apterous: marbled green, antennae shorter than body length, straight, long and light cornicles with dark tips. The larvae have whitish wax spots on their abdomen.
Alate: green abdomen with dark dorsal bands.
Apterous male: small (1.3 to 1.5 mm), orange to reddish (see 2nd picture with mating).
Oviparous: dull green

Life cycles

Monoecious holocyclic

Host plants  

Salix spp

Particular characteristics

A. farinosa forms very dense colonies on young willow shoots. Breeding occurs from late spring to mid-summer. The very small males have an orange colour (see the colony photo above). The colonies are visited by ants.