{"id":5369,"date":"2026-02-20T15:52:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cubescircle.de\/?post_type=organism&#038;p=5369"},"modified":"2026-02-20T15:52:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:52:13","slug":"cowpea-aphid","status":"publish","type":"organism","link":"https:\/\/cubescircle.de\/en\/organism\/cowpea-aphid","title":{"rendered":"Cowpea Aphid"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-5369","organism","type-organism","status-publish","hentry","no-post-thumbnail"],"acf":{"common_name":"Cowpea Aphid","scientific_name":"Aphis craccivora Koch","taxonomy":{"order":"Hemiptera","family":"Aphididae","genus":"Aphis","species":"craccivora"},"overview":"<p data-start=\"284\" data-end=\"460\">The cowpea aphid is a widely distributed pest, particularly common in tropical and subtropical regions. It primarily infests legumes and forms dense colonies on growing points.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"462\" data-end=\"595\">The species reproduces rapidly under warm conditions and can cause severe yield losses through direct feeding and virus transmission.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"597\" data-end=\"684\">High reproductive potential and its role as a virus vector make management challenging.<\/p>","at_a_glance":{"host_plants":"Cowpea, pigeon pea, mung bean, lucerne, other legumes","where_you_see_it":"Growing tips, young shoots, undersides of leaves","seasonality":"Year-round in warm climates; population peaks in dry, warm periods","typical_damage":"Stunted plants, distorted growth, reduced pod and seed production"},"difficulty":"high: High","virus_risk":"known","sections":{"identification":"<p data-start=\"1108\" data-end=\"1116\">Adults<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul data-start=\"1117\" data-end=\"1262\">\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1117\" data-end=\"1164\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1119\" data-end=\"1164\">Small (2\u20134 mm), soft-bodied and pear-shaped<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1165\" data-end=\"1194\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1167\" data-end=\"1194\">Shiny dark brown to black<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1195\" data-end=\"1219\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1197\" data-end=\"1219\">Brown to yellow legs<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1220\" data-end=\"1262\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1222\" data-end=\"1262\">May occur as winged and wingless forms<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p data-start=\"1264\" data-end=\"1272\">Nymphs<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul data-start=\"1273\" data-end=\"1339\">\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1273\" data-end=\"1301\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1275\" data-end=\"1301\">Greyish to dark in color<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1302\" data-end=\"1339\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1304\" data-end=\"1339\">Often clustered at growing points<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p data-start=\"1341\" data-end=\"1352\">Key Clues<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul data-start=\"1353\" data-end=\"1505\">\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1353\" data-end=\"1387\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1355\" data-end=\"1387\">Dense colonies on young shoots<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1425\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1390\" data-end=\"1425\">Presence of ants tending colonies<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1426\" data-end=\"1473\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1428\" data-end=\"1473\">Honeydew accumulation leading to sooty mold<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li data-start=\"1474\" data-end=\"1505\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1476\" data-end=\"1505\">Yellowing or stunted plants<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","damage":"<p data-start=\"1525\" data-end=\"1612\">Cowpea aphids feed by sucking plant sap from shoots, leaves, stems, and inflorescences.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1614\" data-end=\"1695\">Heavy infestations reduce pod and seed production and may stunt or deform plants.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1697\" data-end=\"1807\">The species can transmit plant viruses, including mosaic viruses, which may cause significant economic losses.<\/p>","life_cycle":"<p data-start=\"1831\" data-end=\"1932\">In tropical regions reproduction is predominantly parthenogenetic and continuous throughout the year.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1934\" data-end=\"2003\">Females give birth to live young, allowing rapid population increase.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2005\" data-end=\"2094\">The complete life cycle may take less than 10 days at temperatures between 24\u00b0C and 29\u00b0C.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2096\" data-end=\"2170\">In cooler climates, overwintering may occur as eggs or hibernating adults.<\/p>","monitoring":"<p data-start=\"2194\" data-end=\"2267\">Inspect seedlings and young plants regularly, especially at growing tips.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2269\" data-end=\"2316\">Look for yellowing shoot tips and ant activity.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2318\" data-end=\"2400\">Early detection is critical due to rapid population growth and virus transmission.<\/p>","management":"<div class=\"flex flex-col text-sm pb-25\"><article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:913e7d1e-2e3e-46bf-a064-681b7d6a3a60-65\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-26\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\">\r\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\r\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\">\r\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\">\r\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"a011f9e9-13e7-41d0-ab29-36e3904fc116\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\">\r\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\">\r\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word dark markdown-new-styling\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2424\" data-end=\"2522\">Cultural control: Remove virus-infected plants and manage weeds that serve as alternative hosts.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2524\" data-end=\"2641\">Biological control: Encourage natural enemies such as ladybird beetles, lacewings, syrphid larvae, and parasitoids.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2643\" data-end=\"2756\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Chemical control: Use effective insecticides when necessary and rotate chemical groups to reduce resistance risk.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start\"><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"mt-3 w-full empty:hidden\">\r\n<div class=\"text-center\"><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/article><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"pointer-events-none h-px w-px absolute bottom-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-edge=\"true\"><\/div>"}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cubescircle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/organisms\/5369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cubescircle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/organisms"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cubescircle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/organism"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cubescircle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}