146 



PLUM. 



PLUM. 



Plum Aphis or " Green Fly." Aphis pruni, Reaumur.* 



2 



Anns r 



KUNi. — 1, winged viviparous female ; 2, wingless viviparous female ; 

 3, pupa: all magniHed. After G. 13. Buckton, F.lt.S. 



The Plum Aphis or Green Fly {ApJds pruni, Eeaumur) is 

 to be found on Apple, Medlar, Peach, and Apricot, besides 

 various kinds of Plum, and, as noted in * British Aphides,' t 

 "is exceedingly destructive. Multiplication takes place by 

 millions, and the insects close up the pores of the leaves by 

 their tenacious excretions and the mealy exudations from 

 their bodies. By the constant irritation of their rostra 

 [suckers] the leaves roll up, and under this cover from the 

 weather both the winged and apterous forms live overspread 

 by . . . mealy powder, which probably to them is a pro- 



* Also of Fab., Kalt., Mosley, Walk., Koch, Pass. So much difliculty exists 

 as to synonymic distinction of the above species of Plum Aphis, as also as to 

 possible differences or variations, as well as synonyms of other species affecting 

 the Plum, that I have given the above list of authorities and also moderately 

 full descri})tions of A. pruni in its different conditions abridged from the account 

 given by Mr. G. B. Buckton in his ' British Aijhides,' vol. ii. pp. G^-O?, with 

 hgures from i)late Ivi. in the same volume, in order that both on his high 

 authority and also as British description we may have a firm foundation for 

 comparison with other Plum-infesting aphides. 



t See 'British A^jhides,' by G. B. Buckton, F.R.S., vol. ii. p. G4. 



