Piercing
& Sucking Insects > Balsam
Twig Aphid
Pest: Balsam Twig Aphid (Mindarus abietinus Koch)
Order: Homoptera
Family: Aphididae
Host Plants:
Most firs (Abies), especially balsam and Fraser firs, in the
Northeast. It is a pest in both the Christmas tree plantation and
the landscape.
Description:
Balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) is the most commonly grown
Christmas tree in New England and serves as the primary host to
the balsam twig aphid (BTA). In the spring, the piercing-sucking
feeding activity of this pest causes the newly emerging needles
to become twisted and the copious amount of honeydew produced causes
the new shoots to stick together. Injury from this pest will persist
on the tree for two to three years and heavy attack during harvest
years will render Christmas trees unfit for sale, despite the injury
being only aesthetic.
Life Cycle:
Over-wintering eggs of the BTA are found in bark crevices. The
eggs will hatch prior to budbreak and then quickly pass through
all life stages to be adult, wingless females known as stem mothers.
These will begin to produce live young just at budbreak and heavy
feeding will begin. It is this stage that causes the most injury
to the host plant. These immatures then mature into winged adults
and may disperse to other plants. Eggs will be laid in bark crevices
and fine white waxy strands may be observed to be associated with
these eggs. All feeding usually ceases by early to mid-June in southern
New England.
Management Strategies:
Once population sizes of economic importance have been established,
it is then necessary to apply effective management measures. In
recent years, the use of various insecticidal compounds have displayed
a wide range of management results; some of which are unacceptable
to the grower. Contact pesticides, such as horticultural oils and
insecticidal soaps usually do not result in acceptable management
levels given the inability of the compounds to come into contact
with the insect. Therefore, chemical pesticides are often required.
The use of systemic pesticides may be too cost prohibitive in the
Christmas tree plantation.
Images:
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New injury caused to the newly emerging
foliage of a fir. (R. Childs)
Newly deposited eggs of the Balsam Twig Aphid on the host
plant. (R. Childs)
The long term results of Balsam Twig Aphid feeding on a fir.
Note the damaged needles on the left and healthy unaffected
nedles on the right. (R. Childs)
A Stem Motherof the Balsam Twig aphid sitting atop a soon-to-open
bud of a fir tree. (R. Childs)
Newly injured foliage on a fir. Note the twisted needles and
honeydew. (R. Childs)
A close up of the sticky globs of honeydew that aer produced
by the Balsam Woolly Aderlgid on the host plant foliage. (R.
Childs)
Healthy, new, unaffected foliage of a fir tree in early spring.
(R. Childs)
A nymph of the Balsam Twig Adelgid. (R. Childs)
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Piercing-sucking
index:
Adelgids, General
Andromeda Lacebug
Aphids, General
Balsam Twig Aphid
Beech Blight Aphid 
Boxwood Psyllid
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Frequently Asked Questions
Honeylocust Plantbug
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