Beech blight aphid

Common card · No. 293291

The beech blight aphid (Grylloprociphilus imbricator) is a small insect in the order Hemiptera that feeds primarily on the sap of American beech trees. The aphids form dense colonies on small branches and the undersides of leaves. A secondary host, based on their geographic location, is the roots of the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), where some aphids alternate between hosts and others remain with Taxodium distichum year-round. The aphids themselves are a light bluish color with bodies covered with long, white, waxy filaments giving them a woolly appearance. They first become apparent in July and as populations continue to grow they become increasingly noticeable. Very high numbers can be seen on individual branches, sometimes extending onto leaves. Infested trees may appear to have their branches and twigs covered with snow. This aphid has a defensive behaviour in that it raises the posterior end of its body and sways from side to side when disturbed. Many aphids performing this action...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA, CC BY 2.0