Aphids emerging as sentinels of climate change

Economic Times (India): A new research has shown that aphids are emerging as sentinels of climate change. The scientists, who carried out the research, are from the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) supported Rothamsted Research in the UK.

One of the UK's most damaging aphids - the peach-potato aphid (Myzus persicae) - has been found to be flying two weeks earlier for every 1 degree Celsius rise in mean temperature for January and February combined. According to Dr Richard Harrington of the Rothamsted Insect Survey said, one of the most noticeable consequences of climate change in the UK is the frequency of mild winters.

As a direct result of this, aphids seeking new sources of food are appearing significantly earlier in the year and in significantly higher numbers. "We have been studying the seasonal biology of aphids for a long time now and we know that populations can continue to grow over the winter and spring provided that conditions are warm enough," said Harrington.

"After a warm winter, there are much larger numbers flying and they are hence detected much earlier. This means that there are more aphids flying in spring and early summer, when crops are particularly vulnerable to damage," he added.

…The long term data on aphids can be used to understand the wider implications of climate change, and also to prepare for the season ahead by determining the need for and timing of aphid control measures (based on preceding winter temperatures).

As well as being important indicators of a changing climate, aphids can cause devastating damage to crops.

This shows an R.E. Snodgrass rendering of aphis pomi (not the species discussed), from his Insects: Their Ways and Means of Living. Wikimedia Commons