The Russian wheat aphid, dreaded by farmers because it menaces croplands, is showing up in a few area wheat fields now, says Dr. Carl Patrick, entomologist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Starting now, and until mid-May, the insects will be active and begin to spread. Often, the leaf will be rolled up like a soda straw.
Damage occurs when the insects inject a toxin as they feed.
Dryland wheat will likely be most affected. Additional information on how to identify the insect, check for damage and appropriate control measures is available through local county Extension offices. According to Patrick, beneficial insects in the form of predators and parasites will feed on aphid. However, once the aphid is protected inside the rolled plant leaves, beneficial predators are less effective. In most cases, an insecticide application will likely be required to prevent significant yield losses when the economic threshold is reached.