Alfalfa aphid giving birth to living young. You can see the red eye, antennae, and legs folded against the body. Aphids, and some other insects, can produce offspring from unfertilized eggs, a process called parthenogenesis. The eggs develop and hatch within the mother. At birth, eggs are already developing in the offspring for the next generation. This type of quick reproduction allows the aphid population to explode in number and rapidly exploit available resources.

Alfalfa aphid giving birth to living young. You can see the red eye, antennae, and legs folded against the body. Aphids, and some other insects, can produce offspring from unfertilized eggs, a process called parthenogenesis. The eggs develop and hatch within the mother. At birth, eggs are already developing in the offspring for the next generation. This type of quick reproduction allows the aphid population to explode in number and rapidly exploit available resources.