red goldenrod aphid

(Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum)

Conservation Status
red goldenrod aphid
Photo by Alfredo Colon
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

not listed

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

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 to 516 (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.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: to 516 (4 to 8 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

 

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

 

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

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

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

They complete their life cycle entirely on their host plant.

 
     
 

Nymph Food

 
 

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

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

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

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

 
  11/26/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Hemiptera (true bugs, hoppers, aphids, and allies)  
 

Suborder

Sternorrhyncha (plant-parasitic hemipterans)  
 

Infraorder

Aphidomorpha (aphids and allies)  
 

Superfamily

Aphidoidea  
 

Family

Aphididae (aphids)  
 

Subfamily

Aphidinae  
 

Tribe

Macrosiphini  
 

Genus

Uroleucon  
  Subgenus Uroleucon  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

red goldenrod aphid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Rostrum

The stiff, beak-like projection of the carapace or prolongation of the head of an insect, crustacean, or cetacean.

 

Tarsus

On insects, the last two to five subdivisions of the leg, attached to the tibia; the foot. On spiders, the last segment of the leg. Plural: tarsi.

 

Tubercle

On plants and animals: a small, rounded, raised projection on the surface. On insects and spiders: a low, small, usually rounded, knob-like projection. On slugs: raised areas of skin between grooves covering the body.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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btcrouch5775

 
 

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

 
    red goldenrod aphid   red goldenrod aphid  
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    red goldenrod aphid   red goldenrod aphid  
           
 
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  Laura G
6/12/2023

Location: Asheville NC

These all of a sudden appeared in my yard & are all over my back porch & house and of course along the fence vines. My neighbors say they don’t recognize these pests??? I’m new to the area, I know I didn’t bring on my plants from Florida. I’ve been here 6 weeks & they are just now appearing. Adults, strange or maybe I have the wrong pest. They look Exactly like the picture though 🤞🏻

 
  Chris DiDio
6/12/2023

Location: Rochester, NY

I have a very large amount of these aphids on the Golden rod in my yard. My location is Clifford Ave Rochester N.Y. 14609

Cheers     

 
  Alfredo Colon
8/5/2022

Location: Albany, NY

red goldenrod aphid  
  Alfredo Colon
8/21/2019

Location: Woodbury, MN

red goldenrod aphid  
           
 
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Created: 11/4/2020

Last Updated:

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