A tiny sap-sucking insect that damages many crop plants.
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Aphids are small sap-sucking insects of the superfamily Aphidoidea, comprising around 5,000 species, many of which are serious agricultural pests. Typically 1–10 millimetres long, they feed on plant phloem using needle-like mouthparts called stylets, extracting sugars and amino acids and often transmitting plant viruses such as barley yellow dwarf and potato virus Y. Aphids reproduce rapidly through parthenogenesis and viviparity, with some species producing winged migrants when colonies become crowded. They excrete honeydew, a sugary liquid that attracts ants and fosters sooty mould, reducing photosynthesis. Common agricultural species include the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), and the Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia). Control methods include biological agents such as ladybirds, lacewings, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps; insecticidal soaps and neem oil; and resistant crop varieties. Integrated pest management emphasises monitoring and threshold-based intervention to protect beneficial insect populations.
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