Pacific Northwest Vegetable Extension Group

of Washington State University, Oregon State University, and University of Idaho

Photo Gallery of Vegetable Problems

Asparagus

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Insect/Mite Pests

Disease: Asparagus aphid
Pathogen: Brachycorynella asparagi
Host Crops: Asparagus aphids spend their entire life cycle on asparagus. The egg stage overwinters on foliage. Eggs hatch in early spring to produce wingless ‘stem mothers’. The latter produce multiple generations of winged and wingless aphids in spring and summer. The sexual stage forms in the fall, when eggs are also laid. Aphids feed on ferns and can stunt growth of asparagus. Feeding on mature ferns can lead to tufting of growth beyond the point of injury. Newly emerging shoots then have short internodes, producing a clump of dense growth.

Damage to an asparagus fern caused by the asparagus aphid
Damage to an asparagus fern caused by the asparagus aphid.
Photo Source: Karen Ward, Washington State University

On-Line Resources:

Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook: Asparagus aphid
 

Our pages provide links to external sites for the convenience of users. WSU Extension does not manage these external sites, nor does Extension review, control, or take responsibility for the content of these sites. These external sites do not implicitly or explicitly represent official positions and policies of WSU Extension.

WSU Mount Vernon NWREC, 16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon, WA 98273-4768, 360-848-6120
Contact Us: Lindsey du Toit and Carol Miles