Aphids on Kale: Identifying Cabbage Aphid and Managing Heavy Infestations

The cabbage aphid (*Brevicoryne brassicae*) is the primary aphid on kale and other brassicas. It is significantly different from aphids on other vegetables in one important way: it secretes a waxy coating that makes it more resistant to water blasting and soap sprays than other aphid species. A.

The cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) is the primary aphid on kale and other brassicas. It is significantly different from aphids on other vegetables in one important way: it secretes a waxy coating that makes it more resistant to water blasting and soap sprays than other aphid species. A gardener who has successfully managed aphids on roses or tomatoes with a water hose will find that the same technique is less effective on a dense, waxy cabbage aphid colony on kale.

This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases - at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally tested or that are the universal first recommendation from university Extension publications. See our full disclosure.

Identification

Per UC IPM, cabbage aphids are:

• 1.5–2.5mm long
• Gray-green to powdery gray in color (the waxy bloom gives them a dusty appearance)
• Found in dense, compacted colonies on undersides of leaves, inside leaf folds, and on developing heads
• Distinguished from other brassica aphids by their waxy grayish appearance

Colonies are typically found on the undersides of lower leaves first, then spread upward as the plant is increasingly colonized. The waxy coating that coats both the aphids and their eggs makes them resistant to physical removal.

Ants attending colonies indicate high honeydew production and active, feeding colonies. Inspect undersides of all kale leaves when ants are observed.