id help, please....

20 years ago

hi,

i saw a strange cottony substance on a tree (an alder bush) today, and went up to it to find out what it was. i realized it was a bunch of insects. the 'cotton' was in filaments about 1 inch long, with a gray insect underneath. there was one large mass of insects on one branch, and 3 masses on another.

i've been working in the outdoors for 5 years, and i've NEVER seen this. i've looked on the web, but haven't found anything that looks like it. if i go back there, i'll try to take a picture.

here are some more details. i live in central VA, i don't think it's that hemlock insect. it was on an alder that was growing on a small creek. i paddled up and down this creek today, and didn't find any others. any ideas?

thanks.

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Comments (5)

Aaron_UK
20 years ago
Is it anything the insect in the attached link?

Here is a link that might be useful: Butternut Woollyworm
nibblin
Original Author
20 years ago
it looked very much like that (the cotton did), but the cluster of animals looked like insects and not caterpillars.

what a cool animal. thanks! i've never seen one of those either. i'm stumped.
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
20 years ago
Take a look at some images of the wooly alder aphid and see if that's what you have. I'd be willing to bet it is. Be sure to do an 'image' search so that you can get a good idea of what they look like in different locations and times of year.
nibblin
Original Author
20 years ago
it WAS an woolly alder aphid! thanks to you both!

what interesting animals. like i said, i've worked in the outdoors for about 5 years and hadn't seen anything like this.

there are some photos linked below...hope they work.

Here is a link that might be useful: wooly aphid
nibblin
Original Author
20 years ago
here is another photo that i searched for after rhizo directed me:

Here is a link that might be useful: what i saw