Faba bean aphid (FBA) is a pest of faba beans, broad beans and vetch. It prefers hot, dry conditions, and mainly affects mature, dehydrated crops in spring. This fact sheet explains how to identify FBA, how it spreads, and management options.

Key points

• FBA is considered established in NSW and Victoria.
• Adult aphids are 3.3 to 3.7mm in length, bright to dark green in colour with distinctive bright red eyes and a black head, body and legs. Immature aphids are paler in colour.
• They prefer hot, dry conditions, and mainly affect mature, moisture-stressed crops in spring.
• They are carriers of bean leaf roll mosaic virus and pea seed-borne mosaic virus.
• Colonies tend to form dense hot spots in crops, which can show symptoms of wilting, stunting, leaf loss, and even start to die. Mature plants may also shed flowers and seed pods prematurely.
• Monitoring for aphids should start in mid-winter and continue throughout spring, as populations can increase rapidly with rising temperatures.