Mississippi and Tennessee residents have recently noticed what appear to be “white flakes” floating in the air, which are actually Asian hackberry aphids, also known as woolly hackberry aphids, according to Brady Dunaway, a Heritage Program Ecologist at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. And now, some are reporting seeing the little fuzzballs in Cumberland County.

These small male aphids are particularly noticeable during their mating season, as they drift on the breeze, creating the illusion of floating flakes. While they do not bite, the aphids can be a nuisance due to their excrement, known as honeydew, which can foster bacteria and mold growth in humid conditions and leave unsightly marks on trees and surfaces, though it causes no permanent damage.

Dunaway notes that aphid populations fluctuate yearly, with “boom and bust” cycles influenced by climate and tree conditions, leading to particularly noticeable infestations in some years when conditions are favorable for a bumper crop of these insects.