On broccoli, this pest is usually present on the youngest and oldest leaves that have higher concentrations of nitrogen containing compounds. Aphids vector plant viruses, and this activity potentially can result in greater losses than direct feeding damage. The potato aphid vectors over 40 non-persistent viruses and 5 persistent viruses. PRSV-P manifests on papaya. PRSV-W does not infect papaya, but does infect cucurbits and watermelon.
Females give birth to live female nymphs.
As a consequence of this type of reproduction, populations are composed solely of females and there are no males present. In temperate regions, these aphids overwinter during the egg stage. These eggs are pale green when first laid and turn shiny black in a few hours. In Hawaii, eggs are not produced by aphid females. Eyes are distinctly red and they have long slender cornicles extending from the abdomen.