Rose-grain aphid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rose-grain aphid |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Sternorrhyncha |
| Family: | Aphididae |
| Genus: | Metopolophium |
| Species: |
M. dirhodum
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| Binomial name | |
| Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker, 1849)
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| Synonyms | |
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The rose-grain aphid (also called the rose-grass aphid) is a tiny insect. Its scientific name is Metopolophium dirhodum. These aphids are found all over the world. They are known for sucking sap from plants. They mainly live on rose plants. Later, they move to grasses, including important crops like wheat, barley, oats, and rye. This aphid can spread a plant sickness called the barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). This virus can greatly harm crop harvests.
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Where Rose-Grain Aphids Live
The rose-grain aphid lives in many places around the world. You can find them almost anywhere their favorite grasses grow. For example, they were first seen in New Zealand in 1982.
What Rose-Grain Aphids Look Like
Wingless adult aphids are usually between 2 and 3 millimeters long. They are thin and shiny, with a yellowish-green color. They often have a darker stripe down their back. Their antennae, legs, and siphunculi are long and pale. Siphunculi are like two small tubes on their back end.
Winged aphids are a bit smaller, from 1.6 to 3.3 millimeters long. They are a uniform green color.
Rose-Grain Aphid Life Cycle
Rose-grain aphids spend the winter as eggs. These eggs are laid on rose plants. Rose plants are their main home. When spring comes, the eggs hatch. The young aphids start to feed on the rose plants.
By June, in places like the northern hemisphere, they usually leave the rose plants. They fly off to find grasses and cereal crops. These crops become their second home. On rose plants, these aphids are not as harmful as other types of aphids. But sometimes, you might see many white skins left behind from young aphids. Also, many winged females can appear in late spring. They might fly in large groups to their new grass homes.
Cereal crops that these aphids like include wheat, barley, oats, and rye. Studies in New Zealand showed that barley and oats were more affected than wheat. This might be because the lower leaves of wheat plants, where aphids often gather, get old faster. This makes them less suitable for the aphids to keep growing.
Signs of Aphids on Crops
When rose-grain aphids feed on cereal crops, the plants can show certain signs. Their leaves might look strangely colored or twisted. You might also see sticky stuff called honeydew on the leaves. This honeydew can lead to black, moldy patches called sooty mold. The leaves might also turn yellow and die early.
This aphid is one of the main ways the barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) spreads. This virus can cause big problems for crops.
