About Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Brevicoryne brassicae, commonly called the cabbage aphid or cabbage aphis, is a destructive aphid, also known as a plant louse. It is native to Europe, but can now be found in many other regions across the world. These aphids feed on many types of cultivated plants, including cabbage, broccoli (they feed on this crop especially heavily), Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and many other members of the genus Brassica. They do not feed on any plants that are not part of the family Brassicaceae, and will completely avoid plants outside this family. Even when thousands of cabbage aphids are feeding on broccoli growing right next to strawberries, the aphids will leave the strawberries completely untouched. Cabbage aphids belong to the genus Brevicoryne within the family Aphididae. They are naturally grayish-green, but a waxy covering on their bodies gives them an overall appearance that ranges from grayish-white to powdery blue.
