Evaluation of Phenology Models Using Field Data: Case Study for the Pea Aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum , and the Blue Alfalfa Aphid, Acyrthosiphon kondoi (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Four phenology models that accumulate development based on daily temperature are evaluated for their ability to simulate and predict development of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), and the blue alfalfa aphid, A. kondoi Shinji, in the field. Although the most complex of these models fits the development data best, the simpler models prove to be better at prediction. This result has important implications for the use of phenology models in the field.