Woolly Pear Aphid – Eriosoma pyricola

Woolly Pear Aphid – Eriosomapyricola

Common Name: Woolly Pear Aphid

Latin Name: Eriosomapyricola

Appearance:

• Woolly pear aphids infest apple tree roots, trunks, limbs, shoots, and occasionally fruit.
• These bark-feeding aphids’ bodies are coated with masses of white, wool-like, waxy substance.
• During the winter, this aphid can be found in colonies on the tree’s aerial parts and the roots.
• During the summer and fall, the nymphs move up and down the trunks of afflicted trees.

Territory:

Most fruit-growing states and provinces in eastern North America have it, a serious pest.

Damages caused by Woolly Pear Aphid:

The most common damage to young and older trees is stunting caused by the growth of root galls. Honeydew and sooty mold will be a problem if populations are high, and aphids may enter the calyx end of the fruit.