Wooly alder aphids (Prociphilus tessellatus) during midwinter in central Virginia. Each of the dark, blue-black aphids secretes white wool-like filame

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Wooly alder aphids (Prociphilus tessellatus) during midwinter in central Virginia. Each of the dark, blue-black aphids secretes white wool-like filaments, which help disguise the insects from predators. The insect overwinters on maple bark in the egg stage or, as shown here, in tightly-clustered colonies on alder branches. A Japanese honeysuckle vine has twisted around the branch. The aphids feed by sucking sap from the tree through their piercing mouthparts.

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Size: 3872px × 2592px
Photo credit: © Gerry Bishop / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: alder, aphid, cluster, colony, filament, insect, mouthparts, nymph, piercing, prociphilus, sap, sucking, tessellatus, wooly