Balsam Twig Aphid - Mindarus abietinus Fredericton, York County, New Brunswick, Canada June 2, 2006
I've searched BG, but I didn't see a page for this species, Mindarus abietinus, an aphid that infects balsam fir (Abies balsamea), especially those of Christmas tree size. We encountered this aphid many times during our field work for an online publication, Pests and Diseases of Balsam Fir Christmas Trees.
The tree's response is curled needles, but this shoot is fairly flat. The faint dark coloration is probably sooty mold that infects the honeydew released by the insects.this (Canada) and this (New England).
Images of this individual: tag all
Contributed by Christopher Adam on 25 April, 2008 - 12:48pm Last updated 14 October, 2009 - 6:40am |