Aphid
Photo Credit: Luc Viatour, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Aphidoidea_puceron_Luc_Viatour.jpg, used under GNU Free Documentation License.
Aphids, also called plant lice, are minute plant-feeding insects. There are about 4,000 species of aphids known, classified into 10 families. Around 250 species are serious pests to agriculture and forestry as well as an annoyance for gardeners. They can be anywhere between 1 mm to 10 mm long.
Natural enemies of aphids include predatory ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), hoverfly larvae (Diptera: Syrphidae), and lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), and entomopathogenic fungi like Lecanicillium lecanii and the Entomophthorales.
Aphids live in groups, often on young shoots. They produce a sticky substance on which the black fungus downy mildew will subsequently grow.
To control aphids, apply a mixture of soap and methylated spirits to affected plants.
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