Rosy apple aphid

Newly hatched rosy apple aphids are dark green and are found on new growth in early spring. Mature rosy apple aphids, clustering in curled leaves or on young fruits in spring, are purplish and covered with a waxy, powdery bloom. Winged forms develop on apple trees in late spring and migrate to plantain, where they are found in summer. In fall, winged forms develop and migrate back to the apple trees. Overwintering eggs are laid on fruit spurs and shoots of the apple trees; they are shiny, black, and elongated.
DAMAGE: This is potentially the most damaging aphid species on apples. Rosy apple aphids cluster on leaves of fruit spurs and growing shoots where they cause severe leaf curling. Fruits on heavily infested fruit spurs fail to properly develop and become misshapen.