Which trees are the first spring hosts for aphids?...?

Question

In other words... Which aphids visit fruit orchards first?...

Answer 1

Most aphids probably never actually leave the orchard. They either overwinter on the host tree or an alternate host near by. There are a few winged stages of aphids that are blown in on the prevailing winds, but by that time most aphids are firmly established place in your orchard.

http://www.canr.msu.edu/vanburen/fraa.ht...

http://www.virginiafruit.ento.vt.edu/spi...

Answer 2

As far as just trees, I would say they seem to prefer my tulip poplar trees. I think that they may remain on the poplars and leave my apple trees alone. That's just a personal observation though. I can't offer you any kind of proof.

Answer 3

There is no short answer to that but this may help you. Aphids don't so much over winter in the cold areas as they are brought north with the warming winds. A lot of insects do. Disease also may be carried from areas where it is active from warmer to warming regions. One thing the two have in common when it comes to being a problem are that plants will be infected or infested if they have an issue that will make them susceptible. One item is the use of a fertilizer that isn't the right proportion for a particular plant/ crop, specifically nitrogen and more so that which is too high. Too much nitrogen will make a lush, large leaf and new stem growth. It appears wonderful! In truth it is weak and soft and juicy and begs to be eaten by insect, infected by disease, and generally a combination of both especially in the disease being carried by an insect from plant to plant in the mouth parts and on it's body. So keeping with recommended fertilizer formulations will help in defeat, but to answer your question more directly, with some overwintering and a lot of wind dispersal from southern regions to the north (especially in the central corridors of large land masses) aphids will get a foothold in general on any and all available plants with the winged adults moving around till they find optimum feeding for themselves and their young. One thing I found truly amazing about aphids that can lead to them being a real problem? THEY CAN BE BORN PREGNANT!! As far as orchards go, they will be a year round problem in the warmest climates but make there way easily to warming orchards. In the US where I am they will be in the orange groves and then start to head into peach country to sample the fare, then off to apple orchards as they leaf. Depending on the severity of the winter some will have survived the cold and others will ride the central conveyor of winds and spread out as leaves begin to come out. A good balanced IPM protocol and orchard management will make the problem less likely.