N. bakeri

Nearctaphis bakeri (Cowen, 1895)

Clover aphid

Nearctaphis bakeri : adulte aptère
Nearctaphis bakeri : adulte ailé
Nearctaphis bakeri : colonie

Morphological characters

1.5-2.1 mm.
Apterous: dark green to orangey pink with small black spots on abdomen.
Alate: dark green to orangey pink, abdomen with dark patch roughly square, antennae medium-length, cornicles short, conical and pigmented like the patch, cauda short.

Life cycles

Monoecious holocyclic in its region of origin (North America).
Anholocyclic on red clover in France.

Host plants

Fabaceae: Trifolium pratense (red clover), Medicago (lucerne), Melilotus (melilot)...

Particular characteristics

Species detected in France in 1965 (Leclant).
N. bakeri occurs in southern France but can be observed occasionally elsewhere.

Agronomic impact

N. bakeri colonizes all the green parts of the plant. It forms sleeves around stems and petioles sheltering between the stipules or at base of the inflorescence which dries out.