Sappy Coating – Under All Trees

Q: I’ve noticed during the last couple of weeks that the sidewalks and even cars under all kinds of trees get a light sappy coating on them. It doesn’t feel as sticky as pine sap and comes off with a little rubbing.

A: I noticed the little shiny dots on my windshield last week. It’s likely a substance called honeydew that aphids excrete when they’re feeding up in the trees. We haven’t had a killing frost yet so the aphid population is pretty high, particularly in crapemyrtles.