A. pisum

Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris, 1776)

Pea aphid

Acyrthosiphon pisum : adulte aptère © INRA, Bernard Chaubet
Acyrthosiphon pisum : adulte ailé et ses larves
Acyrthosiphon pisum, larves roses et larves vertes
Acyrthosiphon pisum, dégâts dus au virus PEMV sur pois

 

Morphological characters

2.3-4.4 mm.
Large green or pink aphid, eyes red, cornicles long, straight and light-coloured.
Apterous: antennae as long as body, cauda long and tapering.
Alate: antennae longer than body, cauda long, curved into sickle shape, pointed.

See identification file

Life cycles

Monoecious holocyclic and anholocyclic in regions with mild climate.

Host plants  

Cultivated Fabaceae: Pisum (peas), Phaseolus (haricot), Trifolium (clover), Medicago (lucerne), Vicia (broad bean), Lens (lentil), also wild species: such as Onobrychis (sainfoin), Cytisus (broom), Genista (greenweed, petty whin).

Particular characteristics

Colonies are established preferentially at the base of flowers, on youngest organs in full bloom at the end of stems.
They drop down readily if disturbed (phenomenon of thanatosis).

Agronomic impact

Acyrthosiphon pisum is an early developing species which explains why it is so harmful.
It causes direct damage by sucking up sap which leads to aborted flowers, decreased grain weight and number of pods.
Acyrthosiphon pisum transmits more than 30 viruses (bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), and so on).
The illustration shows the damage done by the pea enation mosaic virus (PEMV).

Natural enemies :

Prédateurs : 

Parasitoids : 

In this folder

Modification date : 22 April 2024 | Publication date : 20 September 2010 | Redactor : Evelyne Turpeau, Maurice Hullé, Bernard Chaubet