The corn leaf aphid is commonly found on corn, barley, millet, broomcorn, sorghums, Sudan grass, and many other wild and cultivated grasses. It shows a preference for barley and sorghums. Although this aphid has been reported to attack wheat, oats, and rye, economically significant infestations on these crops are uncommon. Damage - The corn leaf aphid causes injury to small grains in the southern United States by the removal of plant sap and the introduction of diseases. Feeding by colonies of this aphid causes mottling and discoloration of the leaves.
Infested plants become covered with sweet, sticky honeydew secretions.
Sooty mold fungi grow on the honeydew causing reduced grain development and interfering with photosynthesis. These aphids also transmit a mosaic disease of sweet corn and the barley yellow dwarf virus of small grains. Life History - Little is known about the biology of this pest in North Carolina. Apparently it overwinters as an adult and actually does much of its damage during the winter. Ovoviviparous females, both winged and wingless, form the bulk of the population.