Distinctive aphid on bramble.

[jaguarondi]

Well maybe, but why pick on A solani. There are probably dozens of species of aphids that look as much like these as A solani. And according to the text books we have at work it's not recorded as a pest of blackberry (is that the same as bramble?), whereas several other aphids are. I can rule out one or two of these but I'm unfamiliar with the others and can't find decent photos on the web. There are some that seem, from their scientific names (rubi, ruborum), to specialise on bramble and related plants.

For A solani plants see - Aulacorthum solani (Glasshouse And Potato Aphid)

[Gerel]

Hi Jaguarondi,

Yep Bramble, blackberry = same thing. Rubus fruticosus or one of that family anyway.

Another thing occurred to me, all the "mummies" seem to be sitting on the upper surface of the leaf, very exposed and not where they would normally feed. Does anyone know if this is likely to be an instance of the parasite changing the behaviour of the host for its own benefit?

Steve

[Dogghound]

Most likely the work of one of the Aphelinidae a sub-family of Chalcidoidea.

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by jaguarondi

Well maybe, but why pick on A solani. There are probably dozens of species of aphids that look as much like these as A solani. And according to the text books we have at work it's not recorded as a pest of blackberry (is that the same as bramble?), whereas several other aphids are. I can rule out one or two of these but I'm unfamiliar with the others and can't find decent photos on the web. There are some that seem, from their scientific names (rubi, ruborum), to specialise on bramble and related plants.

For A solani plants see - Aulacorthum solani (Glasshouse And Potato Aphid)

Try this site....

Fact Sheet Index

Janet

[JRsbugs]

That Aphid web site is good as far as it goes but not many species in Britain.

I found a Bramble aphid listed on bioimages, Sitobion fragariae. There's some pics on this site with a small pale green one in the middle pic in front of the mature one.

INSECTES10-4

[jaguarondi]

Thanks Janet, as you say there aren't many species but there are some good pictures

[Gerel]

Well I missed the actual emergence, but did get some shots of the culprit just afterwards,



and some close-ups,