Hyalopterus pruni

Hyalopterus pruni, the mealy plum aphid, is an aphid in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the order Hemiptera. It is a true bug and sucks sap from plants.

Distribution
This species has a cosmopolitan distribution.

Description
Adults of Hyalopterus pruni aptera can reach a body length of about 1.5 - 2.6 mm. These small to medium-sized aphids are narrow and oval shaped, with a conical tail and quite short antennae, reaching half the length of the body. They are pale bluish green, while the eyes are red. However some individuals in the colony may be pinkish (“red form”). They are covered of mealy white wax that may make them look gray or light green.

Biology
Hyalopterus pruni can be found from Spring through Fall. The adults remain wingless for 3-13 generations. Winged adults usually appear only in June/July, moving to reed grasses or cattails, while the wingless adults will stay on the host plants. The winged adults lay eggs on the host plants and overwinter in the egg stage, close to the flower buds. Eggs hatch when the buds bloom.

These true bug are sap-feeders. Normally host in Prunus, plum, peach, apricot, peach, almond, Phragmites communis, Arundo donax, reed grasses and cattails. Their nutritional activity produces a quantity of honeydew which remains on the host plants and attracts a variety of insects.