The adult aphids may have wings or be wingless. Aphids are common on the tender young leaves on branch tips and on watersprouts. While feeding, the aphids produce honeydew. This is a liquid rich in sugars. Black sooty mold often grows on the honeydew.
Aphids have many generations a season.
Aphids are attacked by lady beetles, syrphid fly larvae and other predators and parasites. In many cases, these beneficial insects may keep the aphids under control if insecticide treatments are avoided. If mite populations are high, the feeding activity can reduce the quality of the current crop and reduce flower bud set for the following year. While both mites produce the same type of damage, there are some significant differences. Twospotted spider mites spend the winter as mature females hiding in protected places on the ground near the tree.