This common pest of tobacco has piercing mouth parts and feeds by sucking the sap out of the plant.  Heavy infestations can result in significant loss of leaf yield.

Aphids also excrete a sticky substance on the surface of the leaf that often leads to a sooty mold.  Preemptive controls are typically more effective than waiting until the population build to high levels.  There are many insecticide options for aphid control please see ID-160 Burley and Dark Tobacco Production Guide for specific control options.

Winged aphids that have the appearance of small black gnats give birth to the more familiar red aphids.  From there populations can build very quickly.