Woolly Apple Aphid vs Apple Leaf Miner

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Woolly Apple Aphid Apple Leaf Miner
Scientific Name Eriosoma lanigerum Lyonetia clerkella
Order Hemiptera Lepidoptera
Family Aphididae Lyonetiidae
Size 1-2 mm 7-9 mm wingspan
Habitat Orchards Orchards
Diet Gall Makers Herbivores
Regions Cosmopolitan in temperate regions Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Woolly Apple Aphid

An aphid covered in waxy white filaments that forms colonies on apple tree bark and roots. Heavy infestations cause gall-like swellings on branches and roots.

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Did You Know?

It alternates between elm trees in spring and apple trees in summer across its complex life cycle.

Apple Leaf Miner

A tiny moth whose serpentine leaf mines are visible on apple and cherry leaves. The mine appears as a winding white trail. Adults are silvery-white micro-moths.

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Did You Know?

The characteristic winding leaf mine reveals the complete feeding journey of the larva from egg to pupation.