Aphis nerii is an aphid of the family Aphididae.  Its common names include oleander aphid, milkweed aphid, sweet pepper aphid, and nerium aphid.

The oleander aphid is widespread in regions with tropical and Mediterranean climates.
In Poland, oleander aphid has only been reported from a glasshouse. Small populations of oleander aphid are present in gardens in London, England.

Distribution

Female aphids lay live young (nymphs), a process known as viviparity. Female aphids reproduce by parthenogenesis, males have never been observed in the wild but have been produced under laboratory conditions. Females may be wingless or winged (alate), the production of the alate form occurs a higher rate in those regions where it is necessary for oleander aphid to migrate each year on to temporary hosts.Oleander aphid has a wide range of hosts, but mainly feeds on plants in the dogbane family, including milkweeds, oleander and periwinkle. It is occasionally recorded feeding on plants in the bindweed family, daisy family and spurge family as well as rarely being recorded on Citrus.

Lifecycle

Oleander aphid can act as a vector of viruses in the genus Potyvirus and Cucumovirus. The following viruses are known to be vectored by oleander aphid:

Araujia mosaic virus
Bean yellow mosaic virus
Bittergourd mosaic virus
Citrus tristeza virus
Cucumber mosaic virus
Lentil mosaic virus
Papaya ringspot virus
Tobacco etch virus
Watermelon mosaic virus
Zucchini yellow mosaic virus

Virus Vector

harmful

Aphis nerii are considered tree pests because they feed on the sap of various tree species, causing damage to the leaves, stems, and overall health of the trees they infest.

tree pest

Aphis nerii are considered garden pests because they infest and feed on a variety of garden plants, such as roses and milkweed, causing damage to the leaves and stunting the growth of the plants.

garden pest

Aphis nerii can be considered crop pests because they have been known to infest and damage various crops, such as cotton, citrus, and vegetables, by feeding on the plant sap and transmitting plant viruses, leading to reduced crop yield and quality.

crop pest

Aphis nerii are considered pests because they feed on the sap of trees, garden plants, and crops, causing damage to the foliage and overall health of the plants they infest, leading to reduced yield and quality in agricultural settings.

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Can oleander aphid kill plants?

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