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| Rosy Leaf-curling Apple Aphid (Dysaphis devecta agg.) |
These eye-catching leaves with their bright red rolled edges caught my eye when I walked past our apple tree the other day. They're evidence of the presence of the Rosy Leaf-curling Apple Aphid (
Dysaphis devecta agg.), a minor pest which attacks the leaves of various apple species. There are actually three closely related aphid species which make up the
Dysaphis devecta group. All look similar, but one lives only on apple trees while the other two alternate between apple and Cow Parsley or Rough Chervil. The aphids feed on the tiny veins in the leaves, and the longitudinal red galls are formed in response to substances found in the aphid's saliva. Fortunately, the aphids don't do much harm to the tree itself. Here in our garden, we have plenty of natural predators to help keep them under control, including Eurasian Blue Tits, various ladybirds, some species of hoverfly larvae, and several types of parasitic wasp. It's all part of the circle of life!
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| Mike's picture of the aphids themselves |
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