Q: My sister lives in Montgomery, AL and her spring garden is infested with the “White Wooly Hackberry Flies”. Do you have any recommendations on how to get rid of these little guys, without spending a fortune?

A: I think you mean wooly hackberry aphid. The white “flies” suck sap from hackberry trees and exude an enormous amount of honeydew, which coats everything below. The honeydew feeds black sooty mold on all surfaces.

I’d use a product that contains imidacloprid (click for sources) . The chemical is a soil drench, so the best time to apply is in April, when leaves are expanding.

See Wooly Hackberry Aphid