Greenfly, also commonly known as aphids, refers to small, soft-bodied insects belonging to the family Aphididae, within the order Hemiptera. These minuscule insects predominantly possess a greenish coloration, hence the name "greenfly". However, greenfly can exhibit a range of colors, including yellow, brown, black, or even pink. They typically measure around 1-3 millimeters in length and have slender pear-shaped bodies.
Greenflies are extremely prolific pests that have a significant impact on various plants, particularly those from the family Asteraceae, Solanaceae, and Fabaceae. These voracious sap-sucking insects feed on the phloem cells of plants, extracting the sugary sap. As a result, they weaken the host plants, leading to stunted growth, yellowing of leaves, and in severe cases, even death.
Apart from causing direct damage by weakening plants, greenflies can also transmit plant viruses as they move from one host to another. This makes them particularly problematic in agricultural settings, where they can lead to significant crop losses.
In terms of their lifecycles, greenflies reproduce rapidly, with females giving birth to live young, bypassing the egg stage. They have a remarkable ability to reproduce parthenogenetically, enabling them to rapidly colonize plants and develop large populations in a short period. Greenflies are also known to produce winged individuals when conditions become unfavorable, allowing them to disperse and infest new plants.
Efficient control of greenfly populations often involves the use of biological agents, such as ladybirds and hoverflies, as these insects are natural predators of greenflies. Additionally, insecticidal soaps and oils, as well as chemical insecticides, can be employed to manage green
