Green peach aphid on tomato
On tomato this is mainly an early-season aphid, moving into young plants soon after planting. UC IPM reports it seldom needs treating there: heavy infestations can wilt water-stressed plants and early ones may delay maturity, but they rarely cut yield, and natural enemies often bring them under control later. The reason to watch it is virus — it carries alfalfa mosaic virus into the crop. Under glass, start Aphidius soon after planting.
At a glance
- Damage
- Yellowed, curled young leaves, honeydew, spreads viruses
- Type
- Sap feeding · virus vector
- Settings
- Under glass, Field, Garden, Indoors
- Threshold
- Rarely needs treating (UC IPM)
- Release
- Aphidius colemani
- Rate
- 0.25–4 /m² per release, at least three releases
How to confirm it
Confirm with a 10× hand lens: the antennae rise from two bumps on the front of the head that lean towards each other, leaving a notch between them. Colonies gather at growing points and under young leaves.
Identification, lifecycle, degree days and every control option are on the full Green peach aphid profile. Not sure it is this pest? Answer four questions about the damage.
Work it out
How many do I need?
Carries Aphidius colemani and tomato through so nothing is re-entered. Open the calculator →