Woolly Aphid

Found on the leaves, stems, and bark of various trees and shrubs, including apple, elm, hawthorn, and alder trees.

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap (phloem).

They produce a white, cottony or waxy substance as a protective covering from predators and desiccation. They often congregate in large colonies and exhibit complex life cycles involving different host plants and both sexual and asexual reproduction.

Can be a pest to agriculture and ornamental plants causing leaf curling, galls, and secondary fungal growth (sooty mold) from the honeydew they secrete. They serve as a food source for beneficial predators like ladybugs and lacewings.