Explanation of Names
Shivaphis celti Das & B.C., 1918
celti refers to the host tree, Celtis.
Identification
These aphids are covered in a bluish white wax that forms from conspicuous abdominal glands.
The winged forms have shading along the wing veins, particularly toward the edge of the wings.
While generally obscured like most of the insect by the waxy covering, the antennae are marked with alternating black and white bands.
Range
se US, Calif. (BG data) Will no doubt spread from these areas to others wherever Hackberry occurs along with a suitable climate. Native to India, China, Japan, and Korea.
Habitat
On the leaves of hackberry, particularly the undersides.
Food
Varieties of Hackberry, Celtis spp.
Life Cycle
Summer adults are all winged or wingless females that reproduce parthenogenetically. In the fall, winged males appear and mating occurs, producing eggs that overwinter on tree branches.
Remarks
While there are other species in the genus Shivaphis in Asia, only S. celtis is known to occur in the Western Hemisphere.
Accidently introduced in the Southeast US in the late 1990's. First found in Georgia (1996), then Florida (1997), Texas and California (both 2002)
These aphids produce copious amounts of clear, sticky honeydew, that will coat anything beneath their host tree, including, to many people's chagrin, vehicles.
While the honeydew may be bothersome to people, they don't seem to pose any real threat to their host trees.
Print References
Cranshaw (2004) Garden Insects of North America, page 312
(1)Internet References
The content for this guide page was mostly gathered from these two sources:
Pest Notes:
Hackberry Woolly Aphid, UC ANR Publication 74111 (
PDF).
Featured Creatures - Halbert and Choate. 1999, Fla. Dept. Agric., Ent. Circ. 392. (
PDF)