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1.5-2.6 mm
Apterous: elongate, pale green, covered with a floury pruinosity.
Alate: abdomen elongate, pale, antennae short (half length of body), cornicles very short, slightly swollen and pale, cauda long.

See identification file

Dioecious holocyclic.

Primary hosts: Prunus spp (plum, peach, apricot, almond).
Secondary hosts: Phragmites (reeds).

H.pruni is sometimes likened to H.amygdali, the mealy peach aphid, whose biology is similar and manifests the same alternance between Prunus (peach and almond) and Phragmites. These two aphids are separate species, but morphologically indistinguishable.

Agronomic impact

H.pruni lives on the underside of leaves which nevertheless show practically no deformation, even under the effect of dense, highly populated colonies. However, yellowing and premature shedding of leaves occur which jeopardizes flowering process of the following year.
This species produces great quantities of honeydew and sooty mould soon takes a hold. Fruit tend to become blackened and the produce affected is unfit for the market.