Macrosiphum albifrons Essig, 1911

Morphological characters

3.2-4.5 mm.
Apterous: blue, green, grey and covered with whitish wax.
Alate: blue, green, grey or pink, abdomen light-coloured, antennae long, cornicles long, fine, light and reticulated at tip, cauda long and slightly pigmented.

See identification file

Life cycles

Monoecious holocyclic.

Host plants

Lupinus (lupin).

Particular characteristics

Macrosipum albifrons is a species having rapid  development

Agronomic impact

Colonies of M. albifrons develop rapidly on all the organs: inflorescences, pods and roots.
The damage caused on young flowers is serious because these aphids induce flowers to abort.
If the attack is a strong one, the plants die.
M. albifrons can transmit the bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV).

Natural enemies

Populations of M. albifrons are strongly regulated by entomophthoral mycoses.

Parasitoids :

•  Aphidius ervi