Russian wheat aphid

The Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia) is an aphid that can cause significant losses in cereal crops. The species was introduced to the United States in 1986 and is considered an invasive species there. This aphid is pale green and up to 2 mm long. Cornicles are very short, rounded, and appear to be lacking. There is an appendage above the cauda giving the aphid the appearance of having two tails. The saliva of this aphid is toxic to the plant and causes whitish striping on cereal leaves. Feeding by this aphid will also cause the flag leaf to turn white and curl around the head causing incomplete head emergence. Its host plants are cereal grain crops including wheat and barley and to a lesser extent, wild grasses such as wheatgrasses, brome-grasses, ryegrasses and anything in the grass family.

The Russian wheat aphid is native to southwestern parts of Asia. It was introduced to many countries in Europe and Africa. It was first found in the U.S. in 1986 in Texas. The species was probably transmitted through wheat imports.

The so-called Russian wheat aphid first penetrated Texas from Mexico in 1986.

In 1988, the Russian wheat aphid infested 54 million acres of wheat and 7 million acres of barley in the USA and contributed to losses of the winter wheat crop.