Mealy plum aphid (Hyalopterus pruni)

Some species are so small that you have to look carefully to spot one. The mealy plum aphid measures just 1.1 to 1.6 mm in length and is light green with darker green spots. On its own, this tiny creature is hardly noticeable, which makes the discovery of a single aphid all the more remarkable.

The mealy plum aphid can be found from spring through to autumn. Generations succeed one another at a rapid pace. After three to thirteen generations of wingless individuals, winged aphids begin to appear in June and July. These winged aphids move from the plum trees, their primary host plant, to reed grasses and bulrushes, their secondary host plants. The winged aphids lay eggs that remain on the plum trees throughout the winter. In spring, the eggs hatch as soon as the tree comes into blossom.

The aphids produce sticky honeydew on the host plants, which attracts a wide variety of insects.