Beobachtungen zur Entwicklung der Frühjahrspopulationen vonMetopolophium dirhodum (Wlk.) auf dem Winterwirt

The rose-grain aphid,Metopolophium dirhodum (Wlk.), is a species living onRosa spp. as winter hosts and Gramineae as summer hosts. Thus, the planting of roses along roadsides and highways may be of importance in connection with the migration of the aphids to cereals. In March 1982 the nymphs hatched from eggs, which were laid in autumn on long shoots. One or two days after hatching they fed on buds in batches up to 15 individuals. Somewhat later they dispersed on the hostplants. The nymphal mortality of the first generation was high, namely about 79%. For further population development the number of fundatrices was less important due to their high reproduction capacity. Nymphs and adults of the first generation often changed their feeding site on the shoots. The specimens of the 2nd and 3rd generation were more stationary and formed dense colonies. The population density drastically increased during the 3rd generation. The development of the aphid populations on the primary host took place during 2–3 generations and lasted until the beginning of June, when the winged forms left the hosplant. In the second generation, i. e. at the beginning of May, the first emigrantes appeared and the size of the aphid colonies increased up to 115 individuals. Most colonies consisted of less than 11 aphids namely 30.9%. Natural enemies were present in large numbers during the end of May when the populations of aphids decreased due to emigration. They did not influence the density of aphid colonies, except the predacious larvae of hover-flies. Trophobiosis between ants and rose-grain aphids was not observed on the primary hostplant.