Nonpersistent transmission occurs when the virus is taken up into the aphid's mouth while feeding on an infected plant and transferred to a healthy plant during the next feeding or probing of mouth parts. This process may require less than a minute. The virus reproduces in the plant and the aphids simply aid in transporting the virus. Since winters in Hawaii are mild, there is no need for an over wintering egg stage. Reproduction does not involve mating and egg laying.
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. There are many generations of this aphid throughout the year in Hawaii. In temperate regions this aphid over winters as eggs. The shiny black eggs are often laid on the bark of fruit trees. Females do not lay eggs in Hawaii.