''Hyalopterus pruni'', common name Mealy Plum Aphid, is an

aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the order

Hemiptera Hemiptera (; ) is an order (biology), order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, Reduviidae, assassin bugs, Cimex, bed bugs, and shield bugs. ...

. 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 . 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.Bug Guide
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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 ''Prunus'' is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes (among many others) the fruits plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and almonds. Native to the North American temperate regions, the neotropics of South America, and the p ...

'',

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fu ...

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...

, ''

Phragmites communis ''Phragmites australis'', known as the common reed, is a species of plant. It is a broadly distributed wetland grass that can grow up to tall. Description ''Phragmites australis'' commonly forms extensive stands (known as reed beds), which may ...

'', ''

Arundo donax ''Arundo donax'' is a tall perennial cane. It is one of several so-called reed species. It has several common names including giant cane, elephant grass, carrizo, arundo, Spanish cane, Colorado river reed, wild cane, and giant reed. ''Arundo'' an ...

'', reed grasses and cattails. Their nutritional activity produces a quantity of honeydew which remains on the host plants and attracts a variety of insects.

Bibliography

*Antonio Servadei, Sergio Zangheri, Luigi Masutti. Entomologia generale ed applicata. Padova, CEDAM, 1972. *Aphis pruni Geoffroy, E.L. 1762. Histoire abregée des insectes qui se trouvent aux environs de Paris, dans laquelle ces animaux sont rangés suivant un ordre méthodique. Paris : Durand Vol. 1 viii 523 pp. pls 1-10. 97 *Blackman, R.L. & Eastop, V.F. 2000. Aphids on the World's Crops. An Identification and Information Guide. Chichester : Wiley x, 466 pp. 80*Eastop, V.F. 1966. A taxonomic study of Australian Aphidoidea (Homoptera). Australian Journal of Zoology 14: 399-592 89*Remaudière, G. & Remaudière, M. 1997. Catalogue des Aphididae du monde. Paris : INRA 473 + pp. 0(list five species-group synonyms)
First record of the mealy plum aphid Hyalopterus pruni (Geoffroy), (Homoptera, Aphidoidea) in Madeira Island

References

Aphidini Agricultural pest insects Arthropods of the Middle East Insect pests of millets {{Aphididae-stub