Aphids

Order: Hemiptera
Family: Aphididae

Aphids are small insects, a few millimeters in length, with piercing sucking mouthparts. They are soft bodied and generally pear shaped with two protruding tubes called cornicles extending off the posterior dorsal part of their bodies. The cornicles can emit alarm pheromones when they are disturbed. Aphids can be winged or wingless and have a very complicated lifecycle. Females can produce males or females without mating and give live birth or reproduce by mating and laying an egg. The reproductive cycle is often dependent on the environmental factors around the insect.