Topic: White things that look like aphids

[Jesse]

Today whilst I was digging out weeds on my plot I noticed that some of the roots have little bugs that look exactly like fat white aphids on them. I'm not sure of what the weed is called, it's a prickly weed with flat leaves and grows very low to the ground with a long white tap root. Are these aphids or something else (I didn't know aphids live underground)? And should I do something about them, will they dissapear over the winter, if they don't will they cause damage to next years plants?

[Multiveg]

Mealy bug?

[Jesse]

I did a Google for Mealy Bug but the pictures don't look like the things I saw today. The Mealy Bug pictures show a bug with spine like edges, the ones I saw today are smooth and roundish, just like a greenfly except they're white.

[Roy Bham UK]

Try this list Jess, if nothing else, it'll get you itching...it did me :o
http://www.vvm.com/~jevans/sfterrestrialinvertebrates/folderinsects/linsect.html#Coleoptera

[Jesse]

Eeeuuuwww! Aren't we lucky all those things are little and not the size of big dogs! :o

Looked through the list and can't see the things on my plot. I'll try to remember my camera today when I go and see if I can get a photo of them beasties.

[tim]

You've been into http://www.pestspotter.co.uk/pests/pests.htm of course? = Tim

[Jak]

There are such things as Root Aphids.  Don't know anything about them, but do a Google and I'm sure you'll find your beasties! :)

Jak

[john_miller]

It would help Jesse if you could post a picture of the weed too. The only weeds that I can think of that resemble your description are as hawkweeds and their ilk which are in family Lactaceae/Asteraceae. This leads me to speculate they are lettuce root aphids that have found a hospitable overwintering spot.

[Jesse]

Thanks Jak and John, I have done some Googling and they do look like lettuce root aphids. I will take a picture tomorrow as I'll be there once again digging up the weeds. The weeds look a bit like a low growing creeping thistle but I could be completely wrong, I've got a lot to learn about weeds and bugs!

[Bionic Wellies]

It may be that you have dug up an aphid farm run by ants.  Apparently ants take aphids underground to feast on the roots of plants where they protect them and then 'milk' them for the sweet liquid that they (the aphids) suck out of your plants.  When undergound the aphids become pasty (bit like british men - OK like me then) and therefore would look like white aphids.