----WANTED----Russian Wheat Aphid
Diuraphis noxia (Курдюмова)
What is an Invasive Species?
- Not native to its new environment
- Out competes native species
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Sternorrhyncha
Family: Aphididae
Genus: Diuraphis
Species: Diuraphis noxia
Introduction and Success
The pest was found in the year 1986 in the state of Utah.
The aphid spread in large numbers with its winged form and breed in the new field asexually because there are no male Russian wheat aphids in the U.S.
Success continued
The Russian wheat aphid is very cold tolerant compared to other aphids being able to survive at temperatures as low as -13 fahrenheit.
The aphid takes 7-10 days to grow up and lives for 60-80 days
Damage Done to the Environment
- Causes losses to cereal crops such as wheat, corn, and oats.
- Overpopulates and wipes out fields of crops
Trophic Level
Primary consumer
- Gets preyed upon by the Braconid wasp
- Eats grasses and cereal plants
Limiting factors and solutions
In it's native environment Russia, the aphid cannot over populate because of the cold climate.
- More parasitic wasps(Braconid wasp) and fungal pathogens into the area
- Larger dispersion between each wheat fields
- Chemical use