Are These True Aphids? - Myzocallis meridionalis

Moved

Moved from Subgenus Lineomyzocallis.

… Natalie Hernandez, 6 June, 2022 - 5:59pm

Moved

Moved from Myzocallis.

… Natalie Hernandez, 25 September, 2020 - 5:48pm

Moved

Moved from Aphids... since they seem to be the same as these:

… Charley Eiseman, 27 December, 2009 - 7:45pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request. I agree with John that the host plant looks like a Prunus. I'll add this image to this article eventually. If you are able to get a side view of an adult there will be a (slightly) better chance of getting some sort of ID.

… Charley Eiseman, 1 December, 2009 - 9:59am

Not easy

There are 1,300 species of aphids in N. America and they are extremely difficult to ID. Read this discussion.
There are different generations. The parthenogenetic females are wingless and give birth to live ones, I think. The winged ones move away and I think that they lay eggs. I still have a lot to learn; it is really complicated.

… Beatriz Moisset, 30 November, 2009 - 5:50pm

Complicated, yes and

confusing. I have a few pics of this same kind of aphid on an oak tree taken yesterday. Now, that is two possible host plants. This could go on and on. I also have a picture of two other aphids apparently giving birth. One is a Giant Bark aphid, I don't know what the other is. Both are winged.!!!??? I am currently working up a couple of sets of pictures of two separate colonies of Giant Bark aphids to put up on my photo site at Photobucket for perusal by anyone interested.

… Jon Hart, 30 November, 2009 - 8:31pm

By the way, I already read

that discussion in the forum. It motivated me to go ahead with my efforts to document and display the lives of my aphid colonies in the oak trees such as I can. Also, since I have clogged things up already, would a shot of the similar aphids on an oak tree be acceptable here?

… Jon Hart, 30 November, 2009 - 9:02pm

Do submit

Probably the best thing to do in the future is to submit photos of the colony and several closeups of the adults, different angles (and the plant, or supply that info). Next year I intend taking some home and taking pictures in my studio where I can get better shots of such tiny things.

… Beatriz Moisset, 1 December, 2009 - 6:44am

Where were they?

Some adult aphids have markings arranged in neat grids like that. In your photo, it seems that the youngest ones don't and the medium ones do. If you can say what plant they were on, it might point toward determining what kind these are.

… R. Berg, 28 November, 2009 - 9:23pm

Hmmm, I wish I knew exactly,

but it is some kind of willow-like trivet bush with a thicket of briars about 20-25 yards long and 5-8 yards deep. I let it grow out this year to see what would take up residence. A lot of mockingbirds really appreciated that, as did a few cardinals. Not many insects, though. Mostly aphids, spiders, and assassin bugs. However, the area between it and the road attracted quite a number of bugs. Go figure.

… Jon Hart, 28 November, 2009 - 9:36pm

Any pictures of the plants?

Several of us are able to ID plants from pictures. Views of flowers or catkins and leaf shapes would be most useful.

… Chuck Entz, 28 November, 2009 - 11:19pm

I'll shoot some pics

of the bushes tomorrow and post a couple, Chuck. I will center them on the leaves.

… Jon Hart, 28 November, 2009 - 11:36pm

Black Cherry

This looks like a young black cherry (Prunus serotina).

… John Pearson, 30 November, 2009 - 9:19pm

Nice photo!

Do you know what kind of plant they were on? I'm not an aphid expert or anything, but I know that their food plant it sometimes the only way to find out what kind of aphid it is. Here is a similar photo in the guide, but it hasn't been ID'd yet.

… Mandy Howe, 28 November, 2009 - 9:23pm

Thanks, Mandy. Your link

motivated me to look around the Images file (that I keep forgetting is even there) and I found some that look a bit similar. Problem is, they all seem to have a similar shape unlike those depicted here. They are mostly oval while mine are decidedly more pear-shaped. This characteristic is what makes me think they may not be aphids. Then again, I just might need a new pair of glasses (some would substitute "brain" for glasses). ;-)

… Jon Hart, 28 November, 2009 - 9:51pm

Subfamilies

This page shows samples of aphids by subfamily. Some of them have that pear or teardrop shape.

… R. Berg, 28 November, 2009 - 10:43pm

I checked that out, G and it had

one "maybe" candidate in the Pecan Aphid. I do have a few pecan trees standing next to the bushes. The adult looks somewhat different with a slimmer, longer rear, but that may mean nothing. The coloring of the body and wings is right, though. But the eyes are definitely different with mine looking blackish and the Pecan Aphid has bright red ones. So close and, yet, so far.

… Jon Hart, 28 November, 2009 - 11:52pm

Hey, Mandy

You know what they say about great minds . . .

… R. Berg, 28 November, 2009 - 9:24pm

… Mandy Howe, 28 November, 2009 - 9:26pm