A Master of Disguise

Yesterday, when I was tackling my back garden, I found an odd patch of white fluff that appeared to be glued to a stem of an Aralia cordata. I lifted the stem to see how far the white stuff extended and was delighted when I saw this tiny wee creature leave the safety of its perfect home to scoot around the stem to the other side.

I checked my reference book and discovered that this is a woolly beech aphid, obviously enjoying the hospitality of this alternate host before returning to one of the many beech trees that grow in the sandy soil of this area.