So Who Knew ?????

As Graham Norton would say.
Lupin's have their own private aphids, evidently called, by their friends, Macrosiphum albifrons.
I was delighted to read the following -" Lupin aphid is present on its host plants all year round. Small numbers of aphids overwinter on the basal buds and they begin to increase in number in spring. For most of spring and summer the aphids are in the form of wingless females that give birth to live young. Aphid numbers generally peak when the plants are coming into flower. When the aphids become overcrowded in mid-summer, winged forms develop that can fly away and colonise other lupins."
I do know that they have all but destroyed the largest lupin in the garden, it is a very sorry sight. There are too many to clear out so I think I will cut it down and hope it regrows quickly. The fact the little darlings live in the plant all year round might still cause me some problems. Two other lupins have got them but not so bad yet.
These have been introduced from America but I don't hear UKIP protesting about them.