Melon aphid on cucumber
UF/IFAS counts cucumber among the crops on which melon aphid is a serious pest. Colonies sit on leaf undersides, where contact sprays miss them, and it carries cucumber mosaic virus faster than any spray can act. Aphidius colemani is sold for exactly this aphid: Koppert advises starting soon after planting and releasing at least three times, and the first mummies appear 10–14 days after the first release. Add the gall midge where colonies are already dense.
At a glance
- Damage
- Curled, puckered leaves, heavy honeydew, cucurbit viruses
- Type
- Sap feeding · virus vector
- Settings
- Under glass, Field, Garden, Indoors
- Threshold
- None established for cucurbits (UC IPM)
- Release
- Aphidius colemani
- Rate
- 0.25–4 /m² per release, at least three releases
How to confirm it
Under a 10× lens the front of the head is flat, with no bumps between the antennae, and the cornicles are short and entirely black. Colonies sit mostly on leaf undersides throughout the plant, not only at the tips; green peach aphid has a notched head and gathers at growing points.
Identification, lifecycle, degree days and every control option are on the full Melon 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 cucumber through so nothing is re-entered. Open the calculator →