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Can you help ID from a descrition only

15 years ago

I know a picture would be better but at the moment I don't have one. Walking across my lawn this afternoon I seemed to walk into a white cloud of the tiniest airborne (fly?) bugs. I don't know for sure but it felt like my walking across the lawn had disturbed them and sent them airborne. My son caught one and it has a very small almost black body that is about the size of a pin head. The wings are about 1/8" long which look oversized when compared to their body. The wings are see through and although hard to tell it only looked like one set. The most interesting thing, and the reason they looked white when flying, was what looked like a little white cotton ball (about same size as their body) that was attached to their back end. If you have any ideas I would sure appreciate them. Also, good/bad? I'm assuming not so good and should I take any actions to eradicate them or just let nature take care of it.... Oh, yeah.. I'm in zone 5b Washington State.

TIA

Alexis

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Comments (2)

Cindy_C
15 years ago
They might be wooly aphids. See if they match the pictures in the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: BugGuide.net: Wooly Aphids
alexis717_df
Original Author
15 years ago
Cindy thank you very much for the reply. I'm pretty sure these aren't them. For two reasons, one, I've seen nothing like what is shown in those pictures of them on the branches and, secondly, The white cottonly looking thing looks more like the bug is pooping it out. I'm sorry that explains things rather badly, dang I wish I had a camera. It's just that the white stuff is round shaped and looks like it is just barely attached to this insects hind area.
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