Critter of the week: Muehlenbeckia aphid

From Afternoons, 3:30 pm on 15 October 2021

They might be a pest in the vege garden, but aphids are fascinating critters. They poop sugar, give birth like Matryoshka dolls, and fight off their enemies like powerful kickboxers.

The Muehlenbeckia Aphid, Aphus cottieri, is a rare native aphid that only lives on Muehlenbeckia in parts of the South Island.

The Muehlenbeckia Aphid

The Muehlenbeckia Aphid Photo: Simon Bulman, used with permission