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Glite Dictionary
apple aphid

apple aphid

7.1
A small bright green insect that eats apple tree leaves and makes them curl
  • noun
  • /ˈæpəl ˈeɪfɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pulgón del manzano
  • The apple aphid causes the leaves of apple trees to curl and can damage the fruit.

Examples

  • Imported and released as early as 1959, it now occurs throughout the United States, eating pea aphids, apple aphids, cereal aphids, greenbugs, and other pests.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Using insecticidal soap is an effective way to control apple aphids on young apple trees.

  • Farmers are concerned about the presence of apple aphids in their orchards this season.

Synonyms

green apple aphid
vsapple aphid
6.8

A small green insect that eats apple tree leaves and makes them curl

is the standard common name without the extra descriptor
Aphis pomi
vsapple aphid
  • Specialized
9.9

A small bright green insect that eats apple tree leaves and makes them curl

is the familiar everyday name rather than the scientific term

Surface Forms

apple aphid singular
apple aphids plural

Morphology

apple + aphid

The compound is directly compositional: 'apple' specifies the host plant and 'aphid' names the sap-sucking insect, so a learner who knows both words will infer it is an aphid associated with apple trees. This host+species noun-noun pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English compounding, making the meaning immediately predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Apple aphid is a name made by joining apple and aphid because this small green insect lives on apple trees and feeds on the leaves. That's why the name means 'a tiny pest that feeds on apple leaves and makes them curl'.