In the spring, when plants resume growth, a small, light green, wingless female hatches from each egg. They feed on the growing plants and give birth to female young. Some aphids of the 2nd and 3rd generations become winged and migrate to field peas and other acceptable host plants. There they feed and produce wingless females that give rise to winged and wingless females. Aphids develop from birth to maturity in 5-50 days depending on the weather.
All pea aphids are female throughout spring and summer.
A summer female can produce 50-150 young during her life. If the host crop is cut during spring or summer, the winged aphids leave to search for new plants on which to live. In late September or October, winged males and wingless females are produced. These mate and the females lay eggs on leaves and stems. There may be 7-15 generations per year.