Development and reproduction of the foxglove aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on invasive swallow-worts (Vincetoxicum spp.).
The foxglove aphid, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach), recently was documented using the invasive species pale and black swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleopow) Barbar. and V. nigrum (L.) Moench, respectively) as host plants. Because these are new host plant records for this polyphagous  species, we investigated foxglove aphid development and reproduction on pale and black swallow-wort relative to a known crop host, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), at a 25:20°C thermophase and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. Almost no such data have been previously reported for a noneconomic  host plant. Larval development and survival, as well as adult reproductive development and fecundity, were similar between the two swallow-wort species and potato. Adult aphids lived significantly longer on pale swallow-wort than the other two host plants, but this extended longevity encompassed  the postreproductive stage. Foxglove aphid population parameters were therefore similar among the three plant species as well as most previous reports on crop plants. Pale and black swallow-wort appear to be suitable secondary hosts for foxglove aphid; other factors possibly limit aphid abundance  on these two plant species in the field.
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. lindsey.milbrath@ars.usda.gov
Lindsey R
LR
Milbrath
Jeromy
J
Biazzo
D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D029062:Apocynaceae / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D058865:Introduced Species; D009518:New York; D009758:Nymph / Q000254:growth & development; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D012098:Reproduction; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000254:growth & development; D013045:Species Specificity