NE Oregon Dealing With Huge Number of Aphids

Those living in the North East Corner of Oregon are dealing with a large number aphid swarms this fall.  The bugs are so bad, the Eastern Oregonian says they created a gray haze at a recent youth football game in Pendleton, landing on spectators, and even obstructing the vision of some drivers.

Oregon State University Entomologist Ira Thompson says the bugs creating all of the problems are wooly aphids that take flight each fall in search of a place to lay their eggs.  But Thompson isn’t sure why the swarms this year are so bad.  It could be the climate, a change in predators or hosts.

The tiny green bugs are a nuisance but are harmless to humans and she said they should be cleared out in a few weeks.

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