A tiny insect with a white, fuzzy-looking appearance could be causing havoc as an invasive species in the United States.<\/p>\n
What’s happening?<\/p>\n
The woolly aphid insect is overtaking parts of the southeast, and certain species of the bug are considered invasive, according to The Independent<\/a>.<\/p>\n They have been found sticking to cars and trees, and they can be mistaken for pollen or lint.<\/p>\n When the insects attach to plants, they feed on leaves and excrete honeydew, which can turn into mold buildup and be harmful to the plants.<\/p>\n They are being seen in such high numbers because the region has experienced a longer stretch of hot weather, allowing them to reproduce more.<\/p>\n “I thought it was snow when I looked out my windows,” one social media user said about the woolly aphids, per The Independent.<\/p>\n “They are a nuisance!” another added.<\/p>\n Why are woolly aphids concerning?<\/p>\n Thankfully, the woolly aphid doesn’t bite or sting, and it’s not dangerous to humans or domestic pets. However, it can still be a problem for native plants and gardeners that have to deal with its damage.<\/p>\n Any invasive species can cause stress for plants and wildlife native to the area. The spread of invasives can decimate habitats and ecosystems by outcompeting native species<\/a> for vital resources.<\/p>\n It’s important to stay educated on what’s native to your region and whether there are any current invasive species to watch out for, especially if you’re a homeowner or a gardener.<\/p>\n Knowing what to do if you encounter something invasive helps conserve natural resources, protect our food supply, and limit the spread of diseases.<\/p>\n What can you do about woolly aphids?<\/p>\n If you’ve seen the white fuzzy insects around your neighborhood, there are steps you can take to minimize their damage.<\/p>\n One expert, Midhula Gireesh from the University of Tennessee, told the Chattanooga Times Free Press<\/a> that people should avoid keeping patio furniture or other items underneath trees in their yard.<\/p>\n This helps prevent the bugs from transferring and spreading their infestation. If you find any honeydew they’ve left behind, cleaning it thoroughly will prevent mold.<\/p>\n If they are already on your plants, The Independent noted that pesticides can be effective, but they should be considered a last resort. Chemical pesticides don’t discriminate and can harm other desired plants, soil quality, and human and wildlife health.<\/p>\n You can also tend to a thriving garden and protect it from pests without chemicals<\/a>.<\/p>\n Join our free newsletter<\/a> for good news<\/strong> and useful tips<\/strong>, and don’t miss this cool list<\/a> of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A tiny insect with a white, fuzzy-looking appearance could be causing havoc as an invasive species in the…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":355210,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[14896,51184,159,67,132,68,837,173435],"class_list":{"0":"post-355209","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-invasive-species","9":"tag-native-plants","10":"tag-science","11":"tag-united-states","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-us","14":"tag-wildlife","15":"tag-woolly-aphid"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115491978833432523","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=355209"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/355210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=355209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=355209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}