According to the responses you entered, this is likely the pest you are dealing with. To confirm this, use the positive identification section.
A sugarcane aphid walking across a piece of paper. This medium was chosen to show the dark tipped parts that are used for identification of this pest. Photo by Jason Thomas.
Scientific Name
Melanaphis sacchari
Biology
Sugarcane aphids tend to overwinter in johnson grass. Once temperatures rise, winged aphids fly to colonize sorghum. Once on a suitable host, the sugarcane aphid can reproduce asexually at a rapid rate. They feed on the plant fluids from the underside of the leaf. They tend to colonize the upper leaves first and then work their way down the plant. Sugarcane aphids in high populations can produce large amounts of honeydew which may attract sooty black mold and lower yield.
Positive Identification
Sugarcane aphid body color spectrum.
The general body color of aphids as shown above can vary, but during growing seasons they are typically on the right half of the spectrum. The best way to confirm identification is look for black tipped antennae, feet and cornicles.
Other Important Hosts
Johnson Grass, Sugarcane
Scouting Tips
To scout for aphids, look at the undersides of leaves for the aphids. Honey dew presence may also give clues that aphid populations are nearby. Aphids tend to colonize upper leaves first and then move down the plant.
Although we tried to include the most significant pests related to sorghum our tool cannot help you identify every insect found on sorghum. This tool is built to inform you of the most common and significant pests of sorghum in Texas. If the insect you are dealing with does not match the description above then talk to your extension agent or visit this page to look at all the different important potential pest associated with each part and growth stage of sorghum. For management information of a specific pest talk to your local extension office.