They may possess wings or may be wingless. The cotton aphid has two projections which arise from the upper side of the abdomen. These small tubes are called cornicles and are used to excrete defensive secretions. Consequently, cotton aphids are sometimes referred to as plant lice. Life Cycle Throughout the spring and early summer, winged aphids move to cotton fields from other host plants.
Reproduction begins immediately.
The colonizing winged aphids give rise to wingless aphids. All of these aphids are females and are able to reproduce without mating, a process known as parthenogenesis. The females give birth to living young. The young nymphs feed and shed their skin several times as they grow. In warm weather aphids reach maturity in only 4 to 7 days, and each one is capable of producing up to 85 offspring.