What crops the aphid attacks and what feeds: all about the diet of a dangerous pest

With the onset of summer, black insect colonies appear on the back of many plant leaves. It happens that you want to pick a flower, and it has not only blackness on the leaves, but also on the stem. As a result, the hands are black, sticky and an unpleasant sensation is created.

But such colonies are not located on every plant. These black insects are aphids. Learn more about this pest in our article.

Breeding and living conditions

Aphids will not live in unsuitable living conditions. Typically, these insects live in warm climates. However, a warm climate is dry and humid; only humid is suitable for it. This climate contributes to an increase in the number of generations in one season. The area of ​​plant aphid populations is quite extensive - it stretches from the border with Western Europe to Siberia, is found in the steppes and forests. This type of insect is not allowed to reproduce sharp changes in temperature and rainfall.

Reference! Aphid is a parasite and therefore is able to live almost everywhere where it is warm and there are plants, jeopardizing the integrity of your crop. The above are the favorable living conditions for aphids that contribute to its reproduction.

Pest mouth

In order to understand how aphids feed, it is necessary to consider its structure in more detail. Her oral apparatus is of a sucking type and is represented by a proboscis, with which she can pierce the surface tissues of the plant and get to the juice. In some individuals, the aphids are long and sharp, like a mosquito, while in others they are short and dull. The different structure of the proboscis depends on what plant the insect eats.

What eats: types and objects of nutrition

These pests prefer to eat more tender parts of the plant. They can often be found on the underside of leaves, on the stems, flower buds and the tops of young shoots. These parasites can be divided into two categories:

1. monophages - those who eat only one type of plant;
2. polyphages - eat various types of plants.

Aphids' favorite delicacy is plant juices, which are just found in plants; these juices are saturated with amino acids and carbohydrates.

The liquid secreted by aphids is called milk and is very loved by ants. As a rule, ants are always present near the aphid colonies to protect their “cows”.

A parasite can start in your home and cause irreparable damage to indoor plants. Prefers violets and ficus, but can also be found on the leaves of other plants. So be careful.

However, houseplants are less prone to “attacking” the colonies. On your flowerbed, they can firmly settle and destroy:

• roses;
• chrysanthemums;
• begonia;
• kosmey;
• mallow;
• cornflowers and others.

Further garden crops. Apple, cherry and plum seedlings and trees will be attacked primarily, followed by shrubs of black and red currants, less often vines.

Vegetable and greenhouse beds will not be left behind. Favorites include cucumbers as well as tomatoes. Well, then the aphid moves to:

• potatoes;
• eggplant;
• cabbage;
• Bell pepper;
• varieties of legumes;
• salad.

Take care of gourds - melons and watermelons in the first place, then pumpkins.

Attention! Improper watering and top dressing of plants can reduce their immunity, which will immediately take advantage of the parasite and attack the plant. Better to prevent an attack than to get rid of insect colonies with difficulty.

In addition to the above plants, the parasite can destroy almost everything that you have in your summer cottage or at home on the windowsill. Because this is a parasite.

What eats in nature?

Young shoots of plants and delicate leaves are an easy and favorite catch of the parasite.

The favorite place for the colonies of this insect is planted with young trees, whose juice is a delicacy.

What doesn’t eat?

It would seem that the parasite destroys almost all types of plants, but everywhere there are exceptions. There are plants that aphids not only do not eat, but also bypasses. For example, those that contain odorous essential oils.

1. All kinds of cacti.
2. Succulents, among which the most common aloe.
3. Kalanchoe.
4. All types of bromeliads.
5. Lavender.
6. Thyme.
7. Basil.
8. Garlic.
9. Cilantro.
10. Fennel.

Lavender will save not only itself, but also other plants, so it is recommended to grow lavender next to those plants that you do not want to destroy. But not only lavender will scare away pest colonies. Mint and marigold also do a good job of this. Gradually, the aphid itself will leave your territory if the above-mentioned plants grow on it.

Aphids are a very small insect, but can cause irreparable harm to your crop and just the flowers of the house and in the flowerbed. Forewarned is forearmed. To fight a pest, you need to know its features. Now you know them too.