red goldenrod aphid

Red goldenrod aphid is a large, bright red aphid. It occurs in North America east of the Great Plains. It is found in large dense colonies mostly on late goldenrod but also on Canada goldenrod. Adults and nymphs feed on the juices of stems, leaves, and flowers.

Red goldenrod aphid is soft-bodied, somewhat pear-shaped, and ⅛″ to 5⁄16″ (4 to 8 mm) long. Females are bright red, males are dirty greenish. There are small rounded bumps (tubercles) on the sides of at least some of the abdominal segments. There is a pair of elongated, finger-like processes (cornicles) near the end of the abdomen.

Asexual females are winged, sexual females are wingless. All males are winged. The forewings, when present, are membranous. They are not covered with a whitish powder. The radial sector vein (Rs) is present and the media vein (M) is branched. The hindwings are much smaller than the forewings.

The head is small. The antennae are long. The inner margin if the first antennal segment is not toothed. Segment 3 is shorter than segments 4 and 5 combined. The terminal segment of the snout (rostrum) is about equal to the length of the second segment of the last section (tarsus) of the hind leg.

Total length: ⅛″ to 5⁄16″ (4 to 8 mm)

The wings are held vertical above the body when at rest.

They complete their life cycle entirely on their host plant.

Juices of stems, leaves, and flowers of mostly late goldenrod but also Canada goldenrod

Sources

27, 29, 30, 82, 83.

I had these confirmed at Iowa State dept of Entomology. Did not notice any last year.