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Wooly Aphid Adult

Lint Alert

"Blue Fuzzy-Butts" on the Wing

November 10, 2015  |  by Bryan Pfeiffer  |  146 comments  | 

This dispatch is newly revised and updated for autumn 2023.

Read it here »

Here in these naked woods of late autumn, as you kick the leaves and fret the onset of stick season, as warblers and butterflies are all but wistful memories, here is your salvation, your lint alert: “Blue Fuzzy-Butts” are on the wing.

You may first overlook these tiny insects as the fuzz and fluff of the seeds that disperse on autumn winds. No, those tiny tufts of powder-blue lint aren’t even outcasts from the dryer cycle. They’re hearty insects, the adult form of a woolly aphid species.

Read the update version »

146 comments
  1. Rachel says:

    Einstein s hair resemblance as well ss their Lil tutu . Both such cute associations with the blue fuzzy butt aphids. I had to look them up to in princeton bc northern canada.

  2. Amelia says:

    They are in Switzerland too! I like to believe they are fae folk! They are so beautiful and they absolutely do not hurt us. I have never been bitten or harmed by one of these. Please don’t kill them.

  3. Ellen Spring says:

    Hi Bryan- we have been admiring the fuzzy-butts this weekend and love your article on them. One question- what is the fuzz made out of. It appears that they all have varying degrees of fuzziness- what’s up with that??

  4. Rick says:

    We have millions of them always glad to see them go they are so bad we can’t even go outside

  5. Jo says:

    Just love your writing!! Just met some of these bugs today in Yale, BC. So darn cute and friendly too. My friend who lives there calls them blue fuzz ball flies. We read your article and learned they are aphids. They are just like little fairies with tutus and don’t mind visiting on your finger for a bit.

  6. Jody says:

    Great article. Now I know about them. I live in New Hampshire, on a very quiet dirt road. Saw these little fuzzy butts last year for the first time. I got an amazing picture of one yesterday, he landed right on my finger

  7. Michele R Trznadel says:

    Here in Western Mass

  8. Aby says:

    Its in North America now..
    This is the first time when i see such of things

  9. Ed says:

    Live Today, Love Tomorrow, Unite Forever

  10. Contrariana says:

    We are in Western Nevada County CA in the Foothills oak & pine forest. they are everywhere right now. We had heavy rain and now it’s 70 degrees and humid. I wouldn’t think they’re aphids as they are not on any plants but just seem to hang lazily in the air. They fly very slowly and look beautiful in the sunlight. Like cotton fluff or dandilion seeds. There are these little birds that zig zag through the air and scoop them up. Before anyone tries to kill them, please remember that you may be killing someone’s food source. They’ll be gone soon when it gets colder.

  11. Deborah J Carney says:

    I’ve never seen these charming little creatures before today and I had no idea what they were so I was happy to find your informative article!
    We live near the Canadian border in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the day was warm(ish) with no wind so perfect conditions apparently. Thanks so much for the info 🙂

  12. DJ West Side Eddy says:

    They are Tomorrowland Ferries from Belgium. They love EDM music played loud but will honour any genre. They come to us to spread peace, love and joy. They unite, together, forever.

  13. Skyler says:

    Just seen a bunch in central PEI for the first time, I was out with my dogs and some landed on my coat. I had no clue what they were!!

  14. Jenny Cook says:

    We have tens of thousands of these at our orchard surrounded by alders, eastern black spruce, balsam fir and open field by a coastal river. I thought that it was snowing when the masses emerged around October 24th. They showed around October 9th in lesser numbers. I think we should be concerned with what the impact will be on the nature around us, and their persistence long term, not if “they bite us”. Passamaquoddy Bay, Canada.

  15. Rob Wong says:

    I’ve seen them here in Portage Cape Breton for several years now, only today did I discover what they are.

  16. Ronnie says:

    I’m up in Timberlea and just seen a bunch, never seen them before in my life. Glad it’s not just me lol.

  17. Steve Harris says:

    I’m in Halifax NS. First time I’ve seen these things in my 60 years.

  18. Laura Squire says:

    I am just south of Seattle and have also seen tons of these. Had to research what the heck they are. Really interesting article… Who knew?? Another of God’s most amazing creatures.

  19. Judy says:

    I’m in the Pacific Northwest 40 miles north of Seattle. I’ve been walking thru swarms of these lil darlings for several days now. Never seen them here before. I almost thought it was leftover Cottonwood fluff! We’ve had a few unusually warm autumn days but headed into solid rain for a week. Do they come out during specific kinds of weather?

  20. Jay says:

    I’ve been fascinated by these bugs since we moved to the Upper Ottawa Valley 25 years ago! I’ve always called them “Fairy Bugs” or “Blue Bulb Butts”, LOL! Very glad to know that they are a type of aphid; this warm autumn, they’ve been around for about a month.

  21. Phyllis Johnson says:

    I live north of Tweed, ON, I’ve lived here all my life (70 yrs). This is the first year I have seen “blue fuzzy butts”. They have been kind of bouncing around if front of my face. I thought they were just fluff but they followed me. I’ve never had fluff follow me.

  22. Leslie Chaput says:

    I’m in Englehart, neighbor to Kirkland Lake. This is the first time I’ve ever seen these little beauties.

  23. David Mundy says:

    I’m up in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. I’ve never seen these little guys before. Wasn’t sure what was floating around me till one landed on my hand. I like em.

  24. Sylvia Uhl old forge new york says:

    I’m very allergic to all flying insects. These cute little bugs DO BITE

  25. Pattie Ferguson says:

    Good morning. Well, now I know what these cool vibrant blueish/white transparent looking flies are…Blue-Fuzzy Butt Lint Flies…or Fairy Flies. I love it!! I saw them last evening in Rye, Colorado while taking cloths off the line. They were super pretty once they would land and you could look at them closely. I thought maybe we had ash falling from a fire or it was cotton from the trees but this IS October so I was puzzled about cotton. Thank you @Bryan for the amazing information…now I know. Blessing to you & yours.
    Pattie

  26. Diane Halpin says:

    The blue fuzzy-butts are flying in the Tetons right now. They do look like tiny fairies, they do cluster around us when we are on the deck, they are harmless, it seems. We loved them. We have aspen trees so maybe those are related to ash trees. I hope we see them next Fall, too.

  27. Izzy Lauman says:

    These bugs have been all over my parents house in Sothern Montana. I loved catching them as kids! But my dad always referred to them at Hot Butt Midges lol!

  28. Mandy M. says:

    I’ve been calling them Blue Fuzzy Bugs, but I like Blue Fuzzy Butts much better! And they are like fairies!! I’m from SW Colorado—I grew up here and do not recall ever seeing them when I was a kid. But now I’ve been noticing them for a bit now, much to my delight! I’ve read through a lot of the comments here…does anyone else find it intriguing that so many people are saying they’ve never seen them before and now they are?! Hmm…

  29. Julie says:

    I live in Millcreek, Ut (basically SLC) and thought they were a kind of firefly except that I only see them in the mornings. Until right now – here they are in the afternoon and all over a tomato plant! So I figured they were some kind of aphid.

  30. Lee says:

    We just discovered them in masses of white/pale blue fuzzy each insect was racking forward and back- quite the site. It’s the first time in 63 years we’ve seen them. Prince Edward County Southeastern Ontario Canada.

  31. Tricia says:

    I grew up in Montana & don’t recall seeing these before. But, there have been an abundance in my backyard (Missoula) recently. Cool looking little bugs!

  32. MountainMan says:

    Thanks for the informative and fun write up. I live in CdA North Idaho and there are thousands of these in the air everywhere you go. They seem to swarm the most in the early morning sun and at dusk. The street lights shine off the blue and they look like tiny fire flies at night.

  33. Tim Bello says:

    There are literally thousands in front of the entrance of our house. How can I get rid of them? Anyone know? They’ve become such a problem. In food, hair, eyes. HELP 🙂

  34. Sascha says:

    Thanks, now I know what was swarming my face earlier. We get them every year here in British Columbia.

  35. Jo reilly says:

    I am in Syracuse NY and would love to know do they bite or a threat to humans or animals? I’ve never in my 51 years ever seen one and now I see them every day. Please let me know if I should be worried.

  36. Shaelin says:

    Greeting from Rockwood Conservation Area, we had an upclose and personal with a fuzzy butt when it landed on my daughters hand! Glad to see all the info posted here for us to read up on.

  37. Tabitha Hornsby says:

    Bryan I did not believe it was “blue butts” giving my husband and I same symptoms and troubles Amanda is having. I did everything she has done to stop this horrific happenings. I have done intensive searching and researching. They are evil in abundance.

  38. Tabitha Hornsby says:

    Amanda I believe having same problem

  39. Christine says:

    Saw one today had to lookup your article

  40. Hanna says:

    Hi, I saw one fluffy butt bug few minutes ago. It was flying around me for a moment and then sat on my shoulder. It was beautiful fluffy with white fuzzy hair and a mark of blue close to it’s head. Pity, I did not make a picture. ONtario, Elora

  41. Bryan Pfeiffer says:

    Hi Amanda,

    Woolly aphids have no interest in people. You’re confusing them with some other insect. Sorry.

    –Bryan

  42. AJS says:

    Discovered this creature today with my son and we read your story and information together. Thank you for the insight. I love insects and I have never encountered this one before. Quite magical and unexpected in NY.

  43. Kip A Torres says:

    How do I kill the eggs-babys if they get on my house plants that are outside for the summer?

  44. Matthew Henson says:

    I’m in Eau Claire Wisconsin. Just seen 2. Very beautiful

  45. Angela Rossington says:

    We live in W. New York and have only witnessed these flying things within the last two weeks. They really are beautiful but seem to be making a nuisance of them selves on all our plants. What I am not sure about is if they are actually eating the leaves because large holes are appearing on all my plants. I would like to have some information on whether they actually do destroy green plants. They do not seem to be interested in the flowers

  46. Tamara S Berry says:

    I’m in Michigan & I just now seen 1 for the first time had to look it up to see what it was!!

  47. Sarah says:

    I always tell my grandson that these are faeries…. They look magical ❤️

  48. Lainey says:

    One jes landed on me! Tried to take a pic!… thought I was imagining what I jes saw on my left arm! Wow beautiful! Thought it was an angel stoppin by!

  49. Keri kenney says:

    Thank you so much for this info. Wednesday evening on a walk with my pups I had the experience and blessing of being in the middle of so many… i wasn’t sure what they were and just was amazed by their softness and how they floated with this illumination of blue light and energy so so beautiful and so grateful to have this information and community. I live in midland, Mi and had the honor of seeing what felt like many many many 50+ 100+ even on Wednesday, June 30th… oh so grateful

  50. Francine Holinoty says:

    Just saw one here tonight in Michigan first time ever. July 3, 2021

  51. JC says:

    saw a small herd of them pass by me this evening. I hadn’t seen them for over a decade. This insect brought magic to my day.

  52. Cindy H says:

    Just saw my first one ever and am in Illinois. Thought I had a fairy land on my hand. Should’ve made a wish. It did leave me with a lovely sense of peace though. Beautiful!

  53. Gina says:

    Seen a lot of them on my walks in West Virginia. They hang around my hanging pots.

  54. Marianne says:

    I love that name for them.
    My husband and I, saw two of these for the first time ever yesterday, here in NY.
    They looked like two blue pieces of fluff, you’d expect to see from a pair of jeans.

  55. Robin says:

    I saw the is magical little insect for the first time today! It was so beautiful. I thought it looked like a little sheep with wings!

  56. Heather Fisher says:

    Hi Bryan..Thank you for that very interesting and informative read on these beautiful and magical creatures! My name is Heather and I’m from central Wisconsin. I’ve seen them here since i was a child. We dont get any where close to swarms of them but yes, every Autum we’re happy to see some. After 40 years, I finally decided to find out what they actually are and are called, my family has always referred to them as “Wish Bugs”… We put our hand out gently in hopes of one landing on it and then make a wish…and then away they go on the breeze.

  57. LG says:

    Our backyard, in Central Virginia, is covered with these. Never seen them before!

  58. George Dishman says:

    I just saw my first of these here in Sussex, South East England. I wonder how prevalent they are in this country.

  59. Judy Thomas says:

    I am in Claremont NC and stopped what I was doing to look up this cute little fuzzy butt. I’ve never seen one before.

  60. Jade s says:

    We are in east texas and seeing them daily now too!

  61. Susan Holloway says:

    I live in East Texas and saw a couple yesterday! I have never seen one before!!

  62. Clyde says:

    Thank you for this article. There’s a remote campsite that I frequent in the White Mountains and we’ve notice these tiny blue & white fuzzy flies in the fall. We’ve always referred to them as our campsite’s woodland faeries. 🙂

  63. Roberta Gatehouse says:

    I have never noticed “Blue Fuzzy-Butts” before. What an intriguing, magical little insect. I’m so glad to discover they are neither invasive nor destructive. It allows me to enjoy them even more. Thanks for the info and the fun blog.

  64. Jenny Grassl says:

    I think they like music. They danced in the air to it, left when it was over.
    In Western Massachusetts

  65. Kathleen says:

    We’ve had them in Prospect, for a few weeks now.

  66. Amanda Doherty says:

    Saw a bunch in Naples maine

  67. Flynn lilly says:

    we got them in bremen maine today

  68. Sara says:

    We have them in Marquette, too! I have lived in the UP for 34 years and this is my first time seeing them. Very cool!

  69. Raevynn says:

    I found some flying around in kinross Michigan. I thought they were super cool but I didn’t know what it was.

  70. Janis Anderson says:

    We got them in Everett, WA today too. Never seen them before!

  71. Kim R Sands says:

    I wish I was as excited to see them. We live in eastern Washington state by a river. We have maple and ash trees. They swarm most of the month of October in our area where you can’t go outside without being covered by them. They are harmless but really annoying. They are most proliferent when the sun is out. They avoid shady areas. They die, maybe after they mate, and leave a blue carpet on the ground. We do inject our ash trees in the spring to help with spring aphids but I don’t think it does anything for the volumes in the fall. Love nature and doing natural/organic gardening but these are over the top for us.

  72. James says:

    Same in Portland SW Hills today.

  73. Amber E Kimball says:

    Saw these for the first time this evening, Southern Oregon Coast. They were clustered around my daughter and I while we were on the porch and we’re still not sure why. Our body heat perhaps?

  74. Mike Scott says:

    Spotted these amazing creatures in Ouray, CO on 10/22 just before the sun dipped below the canyon wall. We were enjoying beers and surprised to see ash in the air until we looked a little more closely. What a cool bug!

  75. Carolyn Thomas says:

    I live in Cambridge, Oh and had 1 land on me. Didn’t know what it was so I googled “flying fuzzy tiny blue/white insect” lol

  76. Brennan says:

    I call them fuzzy fairy bugs- saw them in Bar Harbor, ME and in our back yard in Newcastle, ME, today! Thanks for explaining what they are and their life cycle, too! Very interesting.

  77. Bob says:

    They were out in numbers in Nevada City CA yesterday evening.

  78. Tammy McLain says:

    Well I live in Northern Maine and today my friend who was out walking came to me with this photo of the blue fuzzy bug with wings and said she had scene this bug while out walking . October 23 2020 she has never seen anything like this and now I am hoping I will see one of these cute little bugs . Thought I should tell her story so we can see just how the world is changing lived in Maine my whole life and never scene one like this . I hope our story is of use.

  79. None Given says:

    I just saw my first ones today in easter Ontario. I thought it was snow lol.

  80. Brittney Marinsik says:

    I live a hour north from Sacramento California in the United States, I am 37 years old and have never, never in my life seen these until today. So, I had to Google it and here I am, astonished that there is an answer. If these creatures are a New England bug, I am wondering why are they here or how are they here in California?

  81. Tracy says:

    I call them Fairy Bugs! Ha! I love them. I look forward to them too. In our area the showed up only a couple years ago.

  82. OMG! I can’t believe I actually got an answer! My search criteria to Google was: Tiny blue fly that Hovers, only comes out in the fall in New England! And there it is! Awesome thanks so much!

  83. Lisa says:

    I always call them fairy flies and look forward to seeing them every fall

  84. Audrey says:

    10/16/2020 – Half Moon Bay, CA – just found these beautiful mini creatures performing some airborne dances at sunset right around my pampered avocado. Haven’t seen them ever before, really cute and bumpy – will bump into you often.
    Mother Nature truly is amazing.

    AK

  85. Stefany says:

    I’ve always called them fairies for as long as I can remember because that’s what they look like to me. (: adds a little magic to my day when I see them.

  86. Jann says:

    We got em here in Trinidad, CO! By the tons in early morning and before dusk. We call them “tu-tu’s” because they look like gnats in ballerina gear. But what’s their purpose, their raison d’etre?

  87. Jo MacNeil says:

    We have them by the thousands here in Big Baddeck, NS. They are magical at sunrise and sunset. Their numbers seem to increase exponentially after an autumn rain.

  88. Ann Wetherell says:

    We’ve had the ‘fuzzy-butt bugs’ for years in Portland, OR, and just saw them this last weekend. We know it is really fall when they appear.

  89. Ann Black says:

    Today was a relatively balmy day in Kirkland Lake, Northern Ontario. My neighbour and his daughter came over to ask if I knew what these fuzzy blue flies were. I suspected they were aphids because of the fuzz but couldn’t say for sure. Now I know. They’ve been around for a couple of days now.
    Thanks for the info.

  90. Alex says:

    I just discovered them in Dutch Flat, California (Sierra foothills). Fascinating.

  91. KK Samoranos says:

    I’m seeing these at 5,100 feet elevation in the mixed conifer woods in Susanville, Lassen County, CA. They arrive just before dusk and float in fuzzy-blue above the forest floor. In the evening, they’ll throng around the porch light, so I’ve taken to shutting it off for their safety. First time seeing the blue dancers here but I’m usually gone from September through April. What a delight to experience this!

  92. Caroline says:

    This is the first I’ve ever seen one in my life. 61. And there’s 1 in my back yard in Spencer, Massachusetts (central MA). I followed it because my husband’s grandmother believed in fairies and we live in her house!

  93. Caroline says:

    This is the first I’ve ever seen one in my life. 61. And there’s 1 in my back yard in Spencer, Massachusetts (central MA). I followed it because my husband’s grandmother believed in fairies and we live in her house!

  94. David says:

    We saw them in Jackson, Montana, in the late afternoon on October 9., 2020.

  95. Nancy H says:

    I think we saw them in Val-Morin in the Laurentians too. My daughter says she was bitten by one and that it hurt. Now she’s afraid of them : (

    Is this possible?

  96. Nancy says:

    I think we saw them in Val-Morin in the Laurentians too. My daughter says she was bitten by one and that it hurt. Now she’s afraid of them : (

    Is this possible?

  97. Anne says:

    Tons of the them the last few weeks in the foothills on the front range of Boulder, Colorado! I just love it! They are like little fairies!

  98. Larkin says:

    We saw them last night here in Buena Vista, CO!

  99. Rebecca Reilly says:

    Exact same situation, but in the front range of CO!

  100. Samantha Meister says:

    We too live on the east side of the Gore Range in Colorado. I’ve lived here my entire life and have never seen these critters before. We thought they were ash from a fire that had just started across the valley from us. Until I caught one as it floated by that is, then I realized it was an insect. Thank you for the information and photo!

  101. Rox Corbett says:

    Although I’m a nature watcher and have lived in Quebec and Maine, I never saw these little critters until I moved to northwest Wyoming, and first saw them about 12 years ago. Warm October days, and they’re floating everywhere. Used to call them blue pillow bugs, but I like fuzzy blue butts too. The ones I see look exactly like your photo, so maybe the same species? Thanks for your info: I searched for them online several years ago and found nothing.

  102. paula saraceno says:

    First time I have seen them here. I am on the Gore in Colorado. They are beautiful!

  103. Stella says:

    First time I see these little darlings here in my neck of the woods, Gracefield Quebec, Canada. So cute.

  104. Ellen says:

    Lots of blue/white fuzzy butts swarming around our lilac bush right here on Lake Groton, VT. As cute and minutely fairy like as they are, Avids are not a good thing for the shrub, are they?

  105. mary donnell says:

    there is NO ONE that compares to you, Bryan … thank you for the deeply educated and enticing approach that keeps us enraptured !
    😉

  106. Heather says:

    I first saw these wee creatures in central New Brunswick approximately 10 years ago. The locals call the complete white ones ” snow fleas”. I rather like that and Fuzzy Blue Butt as well.

  107. Gail says:

    While at our cottage in Montpellier, Quebec, Canada today my husband and I were fascinated by these beautiful little creatures floating all around us. W had never seen them before, despite having owned the cottage for 12 years. Thank you for posting all these interesting and informative facts.

  108. Sandy says:

    We used to call them “smelter smoke bugs” cuz they were as thick as the smoke from the smelter. We knew they were aphids, but it’s good to know more about them. Getting pretty thick again this fall in North Idaho. It’s the time of year to wear goggles and keep mouth closed when riding your bike!

  109. Olli Rho says:

    Someone phoned me today from BARRIER B.C. . While we were talking he asked if I had ever seen these” Little Blue Fuzzy bugs ?
    and what the heck are they? Now I know what to tell him.
    Thanks for the info. Barrier is about 1 hr. drive north of Kamloops B.C.

  110. Susy Binstock says:

    We have them also in the Laurentians in Quebec. I had never seen them before.

  111. Norma Milner says:

    Oct 2, 2020. They are here in Hastings, Nova Scotia. First time I have seen them!

  112. Victor says:

    These are cool and tonight was the first time I’ve ever seen them! First fall in NB!

  113. JUDYR says:

    Its Oct2020and they are here in Yellowstone Park. They are just breathtaking.

  114. Samantha says:

    I am in New Brunswick as well Tammy! And there is millions on my property this morning!! Fall has landed I say!

    • Tammy says:

      It really looked like it was lightly snowing this morning there were so many “floating” through the air! Fall is definitely upon us!

  115. Samantha says:

    I have always been fascinated by these “flies”. Here in New Brunswick, Canada, my father and grandfather always called them “deer season flies”. Because they always seam to appear in October, about a week or 2 before our deer season starts here! They are right on time this year! They’re are millions in my yard this morning! And deer season starts in just 2 weeks! Was a great read! I never knew the true name of them, until now! Thank you for posting!

  116. Tammy says:

    Thanks for the info. I was searching to see what looked like snow in the air this morning here in New Brunswick, Canada?!

  117. Jude says:

    Thanks for the info. Found your article while searching for them online. They’re everywhere here while camping outside Troy, Montana.

  118. Lindsay says:

    Same! We are in Eureka, MT And they are EVERYWHERE.

  119. Catherine Reardon says:

    We have A LOT of them right now at our place on Kootenay Lake, British Columbia. So many that we can’t open our mouths for fear of breathing them in! It’s a good thing they are cute or I’d be freaked out.

  120. Kristl says:

    Just saw my first one this morning when it landed on my sweater – in Portland, Oregon. Cute little buggers!

    • I suspect you may see them late into fall in Portland, Kristl. With temps here in New England dropping below zero already this winter, they’re done for the season here.

  121. Janelle says:

    Blue Fuzzy Butts…Perfect explanation. Thank you for this article. It helped us very much.

  122. Becky Martin says:

    I Googled “tiny blue insect with white fluff.” Happily, your site popped up. I had never seen this little critter before the other day as I was out walking the dog. Thank you for the information!

  123. Jeffrey J. Allen says:

    Funny, buddy Steve and I were eating lunch outside in Adamant on Monday when we spotted this little guys.
    “What are those”, he says. Say I? “Little Blue Fuzzy Butts”

  124. Michele says:

    Hi!

    This is so amazing! When I lived up in the foothills of the Laurentian’s, in Rawdon Quebec, we used to see clouds of these little guys in the late fall (often when we had a bit of first snow). Or even in the late spring (when we still had snow on the ground). We called them “Snow Flies” because they always seemed to appear “out of the snow”…

    It was always a cool (haha) event!
    Thanks for bring me back there and for the insect lesson!

    Cheers from Canada!
    Michele

  125. From Peterborough NH. says:

    this is a great discovery, Bryan Thanks. We had some hatches in Mad River Valley and Granville last week when I was up in Vermont.

  126. Wooly Alder Aphids are truly amazing. They are hatched on Silver Maples as winged insects that fly to alders to feed, and where they produce wingless clones of themselves (all females) while they feed on the alder sap. We often see these fuzzy clumps, the individuals covered with white waxy fluff extruded through their “skin.” As autumn nears, they will produce winged clones, including some males, that fly off to find Silver Maples and mates. The eggs are laid on the maples, to hatch in spring. While they’re feeding on alders, they are often protected by ants, which “milk” them for their honeydew and fiercely fight off any predators. One of their predators, the Lacewing larva, will infiltrate the clonal cluster, covering its own back with waxy fluff stolen from the aphids. Thus disguised, they will feed on the aphids undetected by the ants, just like the proverbial wolves in sheep’s clothing. The aphids really do little damage to alders or maples and are truly delightful to observe.

  127. Sue Holmes says:

    I am wondering why I mostly see them after a freeze or Hard frost—then they seem to emerge on sunny days! Are they harmful in any way at any stage?

    • Bryan says:

      I don’t think they’re harmful, Sue. And, yep, they tend to fly on calm, sunny days. I did see a few in the rain today. They’re tough!

  128. Ann Cooper says:

    We’ve had swarms of them in Colorado this fall, but I didn’t manage a great p[hoto like the one you shared! Thanks

  129. Rita Pitkin says:

    Don’t remember noticing them befor, but this year I have seen a large “hatch” in Craftsbury and a smaller flock in Wolcott. ❤️ the name! Thanks.

  130. lindawurm says:

    The rest of the clan is fluffing about in western Maine! May I use Ruth’s name for them?Please?

  131. Love it, Brian, & love Ruth’s name for them!