Waxy willow aphid

Plocamaphis flocculosa

The Waxy willow aphid (Plocamaphis flocculosa) is a fairly large species of aphid (3.1-5.1mm) that lives unattended by ants on various species of Salix in North-West and North Europe and North America. It does not switch hosts, so the entire cycle can be completed on the same tree.
Plocamaphis flocculosa - Ovipositioning An oviparae of Plocamaphis flocculosa busy doing her thing, dropping off an egg in the narrow space between twig and bud on a Pussy willow (Salix caprea). Here are some shots of (different) eggs: https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85865/plocamaphis_flocculosa_-_eggs.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85863/plocamaphis_flocculosa_-_close-up_of_eggs.html Aphididae,Aphidoidea,Egg,Macrosiphini,Plocamaphis,Plocamaphis flocculosa,Salix caprea,Sternorrhyncha,Waxy willow aphid,oviposition

Appearance

In contrast to the related and overall similar looking but very hairy genus Pterocomma, the species of Plocamaphis are sparsely hairy. Adults are usually covered in a layer of powdery wax secretions, but this will also rub off easily.

The flangeless siphunculi are bright orange and somewhat swollen distally. On Plocamaphis flocculosa the siphunculi are fairly long, measuring about 0.8-1.1 times the length of the second hind tarsal segment. The otherwise very similar looking Plocamaphis amerinae has siphunculi of only 0.4-0.5 times the length of the second hind tarsal segment

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

https://influentialpoints.com/Gallery/Plocamaphis_aphids.htm

http://www.aphidsonworldsplants.info/d_APHIDS_P.htm
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderHemiptera
FamilyAphididae
GenusPlocamaphis
SpeciesPlocamaphis flocculosa
Photographed in
Netherlands