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Posted: December 5, 2006
Marilyn Chambers spent the day at her office, newly washed car far removed from a grove of trees filled with nesting birds, confident there would be no “accidents” on the gleaming waxed finish. As she approached her car at 5 p.m. it gleamed in the sunlight, clean as a whistle. Until she got up to it. The entire car seemed to be encased in a sticky mist of almost transparent goo. Birds? Contractor overspray in the parking lot? Nope. Welcome, Marilyn, to the winter invasion of the aphid.
Aphids heavily feed on leaves and bark which, depending on size of the tree infestation, can often leave pools of digested plant sap collecting on and under the trees, carried by the wind onto adjacent automobiles and other surfaces. The result is a fine mist of sticky goo which is especially noticeable on vehicle window glass. Aphids are especially attracted to the region’s abundant Live Oak trees.
According to the Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University System, aphids live all summer long and while it is debatable if they have the capability to kill an entire tree, it is known they can cause a great deal of damage to branches and foliage, often totally killing out smaller branches and limbs.
While the aphids seem to prefer Live Oak trees, they can also be found on Hickory, Pecan, Sycamore, Walnut and Wax Myrtles. Often there will be signs of a thick pool of “honeydew” under the tree, with a dark sooty mold then appearing. Other visual characteristics include foliage die back, with the underside of leaves actually infested by masses of aphids, relatively easy to spot due to their size. Dark eggs can be seen sticking to twigs and bark.
With this year’s warm weather lingering well into November the aphid population has caught its second wind and many persons are once again finding their vehicles coated in honeydew. Vehicles should be washed as soon as possible to remove the “goo,” which can quickly turn into a dark fuzzy mold if left unattended, damaging vehicle surfaces. A quick run through a car wash or washing down with soapy water will remove the damaging sap from vehicles and other surfaces.
The final falling of leaves and our freezing temperatures should now see a rapid end to the aphids’ unusual holiday visit!
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