What is this bug? - Ask Extension
The past few days I’ve seen a few of these “flies” flying around my backyard. I’ve never seen one before and my dad, who’s usually pretty go...
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What is this bug? #764487
Asked July 28, 2021, 6:54 PM EDT
The past few days I’ve seen a few of these “flies” flying around my backyard. I’ve never seen one before and my dad, who’s usually pretty good with this stuff, has no idea either. They have wings similar to a fly in that they’re transparent, but you can see the veins. I’m not sure about any antennae. The white fluff looks almost like tiny feathers or even fur. There are not a lot of them. I don’t remember seeing them last summer either. Any ideas?
Calhoun County Michigan
Expert Response
Interesting find! This is a wooly alder aphid. There must be alders and maples in the area for this aphid to survive.