Gnatty Dread… ‘Tinker Bell’ Aphids - come by the mouthful to the Gorge

CCCNews caught this little guy - a blue ash aphid - for half a moment to catch this photo - but the micro-sized insects are tough to contain and capture in a photo. However, they’re incredible at sticking in your eye.

By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., Oct. 23, 2025 — For the past few days, locals have been dodging tree fairies, but some have unfortunately taken a few in the eye or mouth.

They’re cute, but tend to be pretty sticky and no amount of magic can seem to remove them.

Clouds of the tiny, fluffy blue insects have appeared out of nowhere — landing in hair, clinging to shirts, and floating. Seemingly a pest, the little blue bodies with gossamer wings are quite beautiful close up.

Blue Ash Aphids, small, harmless insects emerge every fall near Halloween for just a few weeks in large, swirling mating swarms.

Though their sudden appearance can feel like a minor invasion, it is a benign one and kind of interesting.

These aphids don’t bite, sting, or spread disease, and they pose no risk to humans, pets, or plants. They get their name from their distinctive light-blue color and fuzzy “fairy-like” appearance, which catches the sunlight as they drift in slow, sparkling clusters.

The swarms form as the winged males and females rise from the soil to mate and lay eggs on ash trees before winter sets in — a natural event that occurs every fall but still surprises many who have forgotten last year’s brief spectacle.

Most of the year, Blue Ash Aphids live quietly underground, feeding on the roots of Oregon ash trees (Fraxinus latifolia). When the soil cools and daylight shortens, they emerge for their brief flight season, filling the air with what looks almost like drifting pollen or smoke. The winged aphids typically stay around for just a few days before dying off, leaving behind eggs that will hatch the following spring.