Life cycle of maple-tree aphid Stomaphis graffii Cholodkovsky, 1894 (Hemiptera, Aphididae)

Abstract

Aphids tend to alter their life cycle and habitat range under the influence of changes in climatic conditions, which is especially relevant given that such species are often agricultural pests. Aphids of the genus Stomaphis are remarkable for their large body size, but due to their discreet feeding positions, knowledge of their biology remains fragmentary. Observations conducted during a period of two years were used to infer the life-cycle of Stomaphis graffii Cholod., an abundant species in parks and forest-stands in southern Poland. Observations indicate the occurrence of the first generation as early as at the end of April and the generation of alate females throughout July and August. Sexual generation occurs in late August and oviposition takes place from the end of September through to October. At the turn of October and November, apart from oviparous females, some larvae are still present in colonies. Meteorological data provided for the period of hatching of first larvae indicates correlation of this phenomenon with the phenology of the host plant rather than directly with the weather. Presented data are further compared with the biology of other representatives of the genus Stomaphis with reference to their habitat requirements.