Thumbprints - Aphid 2
   


Optical 1
Optical 2
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     The aphid, also known as a Plant Louse, a Greenfly, or an Ant Cow, belongs to the order of Homoptera.  It is a very serious pest to plants because it destroys their leaves, buds, and flowers by sucking the sap from the plant.  It can also spread diseases to other plants.
     However, it's life cycle is very interesting.  In the summer the wingless females produce live young, which are not fertile.  If the plant where the mother and her offspring live becomes overcrowded, some aphids grow two pairs of large wings and take off to find new plants.  At the end of summer, both female and male aphids are born. They mate, and the females are able to lay eggs before it becomes winter.  Those eggs are able to survive the winter.

S. Roth

Also Check out the other Aphid Page.