In North Carolina, melon aphids spend part of the winter on weed hosts and in gardens on cold tolerant plants such as spinach. During warm periods, they continue feeding until cold weather inactivates them. In spring, winged females fly to suitable host plants and give birth to living young. Each female produces an average of 84 nymphs. Under favorable conditions, a nymph will mature in about 5 days and begin producing its own progeny.
Most nymphs develop into wingless adults.
However, when crowding occurs or food becomes scarce, winged adults develop and fly to new host plants. Reproduction continues through the winter as in the summer but at a much slower rate. Many overlapping generations are produced each year. A small parasitic wasp is also an important natural control agent. In addition, damp weather promotes a fungus disease and hard, driving rains tend to kill large numbers of aphids.