Root Aphids Symptoms

Stunted Growth

• The feeding activity of small populations of root aphids can cause stunted or irregular growth in some plants. The feeding activity of root aphids deprives plants of nutrients and slows the growth rate of infested plants. Stunted growth decreases plant vigor and infested plants are more vulnerable to secondary diseases as well as environmental stress.

Wilted Foliage

• Root aphids have sharp, piecing mouth parts that they use to extract sap from the roots of the infested plant. In large numbers, root aphids may consume enough sap from the roots to prevent the upper portions of the plant from receiving sufficient nutrients to support healthy functioning. Foliage that wilts and looses color unexpectedly while surrounding plants remain healthy is a common symptom of root aphid infestations.

Ants

• Several species of ants mine around garden plants for root aphids since the pests produce a sweet honeydew as a byproduct of their feeding activity. The ants protect root aphids from other insects and farm the insects as they feed on garden plants. Ants can spread root aphid infestations by carrying pupae to the roots of nearby plants. A large number of ants around the base of garden plants that are tunneling through the soil are often indicative of root aphid infestations.

Waxy Material in the Soil

• Aphid colonies produce a waxy excretion that resembles a white fungus as they feed in the soil. Dig up plants with suspected root aphid problems to look for the white, waxy strands around the root system of the plant. The size and density of the white stands will vary based on the number of aphids and size of the root system, but you can place the white strands under a microscope to look for the small aphids and confirm an infestation.