Rhopalosiphum insertum (Walker, 1849)

Morphological characters

1.4-2 mm.
Apterous: yellowish green with darker longitudinal streaks, antennae short and dark at tip, cornicles short.
Alate: abdomen glossy green with dark marginal sclerites, antennae short, processus terminalis slightly curved; cornicles short, pigmented with a constriction at tip, cauda narrow and not strongly developed.

See identification file

Life cycles

Dioecious holocyclic .

Host plants

Primary hosts: Malus (apple), Pyrus (pear), Cotoneaster (hawthorn).
Secondary hosts: Poaceae: Festuca (fescue), Poa (annual meadow grass).

Agronomic impact

The presence of R. insertum, on its primary host, induces crinkling of leaves in spite of early appearance and formation of dense colonies. The worst damage is observed on young plants and nursery plants.
R. insertum is not considered to be harmful on cereals where it colonizes the roots. However, it is a vector of the barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV).

Natural enemies

Parasitoids :

• Ephedrus persicae
• Ephedrus plagiator
• Monoctonus mali