The UK aphid monitoring network

Find out how a national network of suction traps delivers regional information on aphids (species, numbers and BYDV prevalence).

• A network of 12.2m tall suction traps samples air continuously
• Trap contents are emptied daily during the main aphid-flight period
• Aphid species are identified and counted at Rothamsted Research and SASA (Gogarbank suction trap)
• Every week, aphid counts are published in an online bulletin

The network is managed by the Rothamsted Insect Survey (RIS) and funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

In 2020, RIS introduced a free text messaging service to alert cereal growers about the number of aphid vectors in their area, which replaced the AHDB PDF/email service called Aphid News.

AHDB provides a regular snapshot of the proportion of virus-carrying cereal aphids (bird cherry-oat and grain aphids) during the autumn.

The results are based on (BYDV/CYDV) tests of a small number of aphid samples collected from four suction traps:

• North Yorkshire, York
• Herefordshire, Hereford
• Suffolk, Broom’s Barn
• Devon, Starcross

The work screens up to 96 aphid samples each week.

Data from several years shows that most aphids do not carry BYDV.

For example, average results from autumns 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 showed that the proportion of viruliferous aphids did not exceed 30% (although, some weekly results did exceed this figure).

Autumn 2025 saw the highest proportions, when about 35% of the bird cherry-oat aphids tested were deemed viruliferous.

The results also show over-season trends.

For example, virus levels tend to be highest at sites in regions with more permanent grassland (which acts as a reservoir for aphids and BYDV).

An AHDB research project that concluded in 2023 found that suction trap data on the percentage of aphids carrying the virus was reliable over a greater area than previously thought, with accuracy good up to 40 km away.

BYDV is a complex of viruses made up of variants/isolates, with some transmitted by more than one aphid species.

For example:

Luteovirus (genus)

• BYDV-PAV is spread by several aphids, including bird cherry-oat aphids and grain aphids
• BYDV-MAV is spread by grain aphids

Polerovirus (genus)

• CYDV-RPV (formerly BYDV-RPV) is mainly spread by bird cherry-oat aphids

Notes: A genus contains closely related species. The two genera cited are distinct and related (but not as closely related as the viruses within each genus).

CYDV = Cereal yellow dwarf virus.

We anticipate that the first results for 2026 will be published in early September.

Virus monitoring has been conducted at the same sites since 2019 (originally as part of a BYDV management research project and currently as part of an aphid monitoring project).

The project pages host results from previous seasons.

A new AHDB BYDV tool will be released in August 2026 that uses information on the number of bird cherry-oat aphids caught in suction traps and the proportion that carrry BYDV.

Suction trap aphid data and weather data is also used to forecast the start of aphid flights.

Although there is considerable uncertainty associated with actual first flight dates at specific sites, the forecasts provide an indication of how early or late flights will take place, compared with an ‘average’ season.

It is important to note that some aphids overwinter in crops and are likely to be present before aphid flights commence.

Fera manages a network of yellow water traps.

Compared to the suction trap network, these traps provide more localised (and more recent) information on which aphids are flying close to seed potato crops.

Funding from AHDB Potatoes supported this service until statutory levy collection for this sector ceased in 2021.