More insecticides are used to control the balsam twig aphid than any other pest in Fraser fir grown in western North Carolina. Scouting is key to twig aphid management. Managing ground covers are important in providing a habitat for predators.
Online Information
CTN 19: Balsam Twig Aphid on Fraser Fir - fact sheet with life cycle, scouting, threatment thresholds, and pesticide choices
Focus on Aphid Control - includes control of twig aphids and Cinara aphids
BTA - Facts at a Glance - quick facts about twig aphids (1-page pdf version with photos)
Pest Predators - many of which feed on twig aphidsVideos
- how to scout for eggs through the summer and winter to simplify scouting in the spring
- ways to make twig aphid spring scouting more successful
Scouting for Christmas Tree Predators - including twig aphid predatorsPhoto Gallery
btaegg
Balsam twig aphid egg on shoot
bta hatch
adult bta
Balsam twig aphid on needle.
many twig aphids
Twig aphids and newly broken bud
winged twig aphid
ladybugcone
look for twig aphids in cone
twig aphids in cone
balsam twig aphid needle curl
bta damage
late bta no curl
bta seedlings
Other On-Line Resources:
InfluentialPoints information of Mindarus abietinusPucerons des Pousses du Sapin - Information from Quebec on twig aphids. This publicaiton is in french but has excellent photos and graphics.
