Green peach aphid Myzus persicae

The green peach aphid (Myzus persica), also called the peach potato aphid, is an important pest of capsicum, eggplant, potato, tobacco and many other vegetable, flower and ornamental crops.

The adult green peach aphid measures 1.2-2.3 mm long. Wingless specimens are commonly smaller than winged forms. They are greenish white, light yellow to green, grey-green, pink or red coloured. Winged specimens have a black spot in the middle of their abdomens. The nymphs, from which winged adults develop, are mostly orange or pink.

A mixture of winged and wingless individuals are produced on summer host plants. The winged females move within the crop and among several other crops, where they produce new colonies and spread viruses.

The green peach aphid is the most important aphid carrier of virus diseases. This species can transmit at least 100 viruses, which makes it a much feared insect, particularly in potato and sugar beet. The green peach aphid causes damage in the same way as other aphids - by sucking plant sap, secreting honeydew and injecting toxic substances.

Green peach aphids are controlled by Aphidius colemani (Aphidius), Aphidius ervi (Ervi), and Aphelinus abdominalis (Aphelinus).