Brachycaudus helichrysi facts for kids

Brachycaudus helichrysi is a tiny insect, also known as the leaf curl plum aphid. It's a type of aphid, which are small plant-sucking bugs. This aphid was first described by a German scientist named Johann Heinrich Kaltenbach in 1843. It can be a big problem for plum and damson trees.

What Does the Leaf Curl Plum Aphid Look Like?

Wingless Females

The wingless female aphids have bodies shaped like an oval or a pear. They can grow up to 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inches) long. Early in the year, these aphids are brownish. Later, they turn yellowish-green. Their antennae are short and pale green, about half the length of their body.

You can tell them apart from a similar aphid, the thistle aphid, because the leaf curl plum aphid does not have a dark, shiny spot on its back. Its tail-like part, called the cauda, is rounded. Their legs are pale, except for the very ends. The small tubes on their back, called cornicles, are also pale and short.

Winged Females and Eggs

Winged female aphids are a bit smaller, ranging from 1.3 to 1.8 millimeters (about 0.05 to 0.07 inches) long. They have a dark head and longer antennae. Their chest area is dark, and their belly is green with dark spots. The eggs laid for winter are black.

How Does the Leaf Curl Plum Aphid Live?

Winter and Spring Life

The Brachycaudus helichrysi aphid spends the winter as tiny, fertilized eggs. These eggs hatch in late winter or early spring. This happens even before the leaves appear on plum and damson trees, where the eggs were laid.

The first aphids to hatch are called fundatrices. These are all females that can reproduce without a mate. They first feed at the bottom of tree buds. As the buds open, they move to softer parts of the plant. Later, they feed on new shoots and the underside of leaves.

Summer Migration

By May, some of these aphids grow wings. These winged aphids fly to other plants, which are called secondary hosts. These include plants like Asteraceae (like daisies), Chrysanthemum, and Trifolium. On these new plants, they start new groups of aphids. The aphid groups on the plum and damson trees slowly die out.

More generations of aphids grow on these secondary host plants throughout the summer.

Autumn Return

In the autumn, winged aphids fly back to the plum and damson trees. Here, both male and female aphids develop. They mate, and the females lay eggs on the twigs and branches of the trees. These eggs will then survive the winter, starting the cycle all over again.

Natural Enemies

Many other insects help control the number of these aphids. These natural enemies include ladybirds, lacewings, soldier beetles, and hoverflies. They all like to eat aphids!

What Harm Does the Leaf Curl Plum Aphid Cause?

The Brachycaudus helichrysi aphid is a serious problem for fruit trees like plum and damson. They gather in large groups on the underside of leaves.

When they feed, they cause the leaves to curl, twist, and become misshapen. They can also cause flowers to fall off and young fruits to drop from the tree too early.

This aphid is also known to spread a plant sickness called plum pox virus. This virus can harm plum trees and their fruit.