Eulachnus brevipilosus

Identification & Distribution

The light green pine needle aphid may be found feeding on needles on pines, especially on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and stone pine (Pinus mugo). It does not host alternate. According to Blackman & Eastop (1994), sexual morphs have not been found - and Eulachnus brevipilosus overwinter as viviparae. However, Zondag (1983) reports (perhaps wrongly) that sexual forms occur in Europe. Eulachnus brevipilosus occurs throughout Europe and parts of Asia, and has been introduced to North America and New Zealand.

Biology & Ecology:

Eulachnus brevipilosus are largely solitary and do not form colonies on the pine needles. Like Eulachnus agilis they are cryptophilic (= concealment-loving).

If they are disturbed, they run away and find a hiding place. From the few individuals we have found, they appear to prefer hiding between a needle pair, rather than at the base of the needle which is the preferred site for Essigella californica. We would however need far more observations before we could conclude that this is a consistent difference in behaviour between the two species.

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In New Zealand numbers peak in November and April (coccinellids Adalia bipunctata and Coccinella undecimpunctata, and the chrysopids Depanacra binocula and Micromus tasmaniae (Zondag, 1983).

Other aphids on same host:

Eulachnus brevipilosus has been recorded from 5 Pinus species (Pinus cembra, Pinus mugo, Pinus nigra, Pinus pinaster, Pinus sylvestris).

Blackman & Eastop list about 170 species of aphids as feeding on pines worldwide, and provides formal identification keys for aphids on Pinus.

• Blackman & Eastop list 30 species of aphids on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) (Show World list). Of these, Baker (2015) lists 15 as occurring in Britain (Show British list).

• Blackman & Eastop list 20 species of aphids on stone pine (= mountain pine, Pinus mugo) worldwide (Show World list). Of these, Baker (2015) lists 12 as occurring in Britain (Show British list).

Damage and control

Probing and feeding by this species causes chlorotic (yellowish) spots, and needles may fall prematurely. However, Eulachnus brevipilosus numbers are usually suppressed by the predators and fungal disease.

Acknowledgements We thank Alan Watson Featherstone for permission to reproduce his images. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that identifications are correct, we cannot absolutely warranty their accuracy. We have mostly made identifications from high resolution photos of living specimens, along with host plant identity. In the great majority of cases, identifications have been confirmed by microscopic examination of preserved specimens. We have used the keys and species accounts of Blackman & Eastop (1994) and Blackman & Eastop (2006) supplemented with Blackman (1974), Stroyan (1977), Stroyan (1984), Blackman & Eastop (1984), Heie (1980-1995), Dixon & Thieme (2007) and Blackman (2010). We fully acknowledge these authors as the source for the (summarized) taxonomic information we have presented. Any errors in identification or information are ours alone, and we would be very grateful for any corrections. For assistance on the terms used for aphid morphology we suggest the figure provided by Blackman & Eastop (2006).

Useful weblinks

References Zondag, R. (1983). Eulachnus brevipilosus Borner (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Forest and Timber Insects in New Zealand 4pp. Abstract See also Farm Forestry New Zealand