Aphis grossulariae Kaltenbach, 1843

Morphological characters

1.2-2.1 mm.
Apterous: greyish green, with antennae, cornicles and legs pale, antennae short (less than half length of body) and pigmented at tip, cornicles short, cauda digitate and slightly pigmented.
Alate: dark, antennae short, abdomen with large marginal and postcornicular sclerites, cornicles short and dark, cauda short.

Life cycles

Dioecious or monoecious holocyclic for certain populations.

Host plants   

Primary hosts: Ribes uva-crispa (gooseberry)
Secondary hosts: Epilobium spp. (willowherb), other Ribes (blackcurrant, redurrant and so on).

Particular characteristics

This species is visited by ants.

Agronomic impact

Aphis grossulariae forms dense colonies around shoot tips. The young leaves crinkle and roll up, branches become stunted.

It can transmit the gooseberry vein virus (GVV).