Bug FAQRice Root Aphid
Tetraneura akinire · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Aphididae
The rice root aphid lives on elm trees and on the roots of grasses and cereal crops, where it feeds on plant sap. It originated in Asia and has spread to parts of Europe and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Adults and nymphs alternate between feeding on elm leaves and on the roots of grasses and cereal plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The founding female lays eggs on elm leaves, causing galls where the offspring develop and later become winged adults that move to the secondary host.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 39 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants are affected by the rice root aphid?
It feeds on elm leaves and on the roots of grasses and cereal crops, extracting plant sap.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does this aphid come from?
It is believed to have originated in Asia and has spread to parts of Europe and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Aphididae)
Melon AphidAphis gossypiiDamages trees, gardens or crops
Oleander AphidAphis neriiDamages trees, gardens or crops
Witch-hazel Cone Gall AphidHormaphis hamamelidis
Beech Blight AphidGrylloprociphilus imbricatorDamages trees, gardens or crops
Rice Root AphidTetraneura nigriabdominalis
Manzanita Leafgall AphidTamalia coweniSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraneura_akinire
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.