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Aphids are sap

Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding. -sucking true bugs. They range in size from 1 to 7 mm (¼ in or less) long. Some aphids are known as greenfly or blackfly, but there are species that are yellow, pink, white or mottled. There are more than 500 aphid species in Britain. Some feed on only one or two plant species, but others can be found on a wide range of plant hosts. Many have lifecycles that involve more than one host plant. Almost any plant can be a host to aphids, including ornamentals, vegetables, fruits, greenhouse plants and houseplants. More information on aphids .

Lupin aphid feeds on lupins (Lupinus). Native

A native plant is one that originated or arrived naturally in a particular place without human involvement. In the British Isles, native plants are those that were here during the last ice age or have arrived unaided since. to North American it has become widespread in Britain since its arrival in the early 1980s.

• Large, greyish-white aphids, up to 4 mm long, form dense colonies on the underside of leaves and on the flower spikes
• Sticky foliage covered with honeydew excreted by the aphids
• Heavily affected plants often wilt

Aphids form the basis of many food chains and it is not unusual to have some of these animals in a healthy balanced garden ecosystem. Unfortunately lupin aphid is unusual for an aphid as it often causes host plants to wilt. On established lupins aphids can be considered part of the biodiversity

The variety of living organisms (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) in a particular environment. Boosting the biodiversity of your garden has many benefits, including supporting wildlife, improving soil health and reducing the likelihood of pest and disease problems. they support and should not cause long term harm to the plants, although alarming natural enemies will normally reduce numbers during late spring and into summer.

• Where possible tolerate populations of aphids
• Check lupins frequently from spring onwards so action can be taken before a damaging population has developed
• Use finger and thumb to squash aphid colonies where practical
• Encourage aphid predators in the garden, such as ladybirds , ground beetles , hoverflies, parasitoid wasps and earwigs . Be aware that in spring aphid populations often build up before natural enemies are active in sufficient numbers and then give good control

Lupin aphid is present on its host plants all year round.

Small numbers of aphids overwinter on the basal buds

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers. and they begin to reproduce in spring. For most of spring and summer the aphids are in the form of wingless females that give birth to live young. Aphid numbers generally peak when the plants are coming into flower.

When the aphids colonies become overcrowded in mid-summer, winged forms develop that can fly and colonise other lupins.