Corn: Corn aphids
categories: Corn Corn Insects Vegetables
last review date: 2025-10-30 02:45
Photo by: Unknown
Biology
Aphids are small, soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects. They may vary in color from yellow to green to dark.
Aphids typically feed in colonies on the leaves, often preferring the newer growth. Infested leaves turn yellow and may wilt or show other signs of water stress.
Feeding aphids often produce large amounts of honeydew, a sweet, sticky material which may attract ants or become covered with a dark growth of sooty mold.
Management Options
Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for successful plant problem management.
Non-chemical Management
Select non-chemical management options as your first choice!
- Encourage natural enemies including ladybird beetles, lacewings, syrphid (hover) fly larvae, and parasitic wasps. Avoid use of broad-spectrum insecticides which kill beneficial insects.
- Hand-wipe to control small, localized infestations when practical.
- Wash aphids from plants with a strong stream of water.
- Control honeydew-feeding ants, which may protect aphid colonies from predators.
- Provide proper nutrition. High levels of nitrogen in the foliage encourage aphid reproduction. Switch to a slow-release or low-nitrogen fertilizer when practical.
Chemical Management
IMPORTANT: Visit Home and Garden Fact Sheets for more information on using pesticides.
- Thorough coverage of the foliage is important, including lower leaf surfaces.
- Apply in early morning or during the evening when bees are not present.
- Do not apply unless leaves are dry.
- Read the product label for timing between last application and harvest.
Approved Pesticides
Examples of pesticides that are legal for home use in Washington State are listed below.
The list may not include all products registered for this use.
Additional Image
Photo by: R.S. Byther
WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination.
Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension office.