What are whiteflies? Tiny insects swarming over parts of UK are being compared to Stranger Things Upside Down

Tiny white flies have been spotted swarming in their thousands over some parts of England. The creatures, which measure less than one millimetre in length, seem to fly directly in people’s faces, causing some to fear they’ve swallowed them.

Other people have mistaken them for ash, blossom or even snowfall, reports our sister title the MK Citizen.

One woman posted on social media about swarms of the miniscule white bugs recently. She wrote: “For anyone else in Bletchley who has had the fright of their lives the past few days seeing these, thinking they'd had a major dandruff outbreak or that it was snowing.”

Another person posted: “We have seen them in parts of Heelands for few weeks now. At first I thought it was snowing.”

One person said the flies were a real nuisance, getting in people’s hair, eyes and on clothing. Another person on Facebook even likened them to 'something in the upside down' – referencing the hit Netflix show Stranger Things.

What are whiteflies?

In fact, the creatures, simply called Whitefly, are out in force all over the UK at the moment, particularly during sunny weather. They are a relative of the sap-sucking aphid (greenfly) and though they love feeding off plants, they seem to be attracted to shiny cars and people’s coats.

Whiteflies are completely harmless to people but can be a pest in gardens, where they will gorge on the underside of leaves, with a particular preference for cabbages and other types of brassicas. It is thought that the hot weather the UK saw this summer created the perfect breeding conditions for them.

The good news, according to the Royal Horticultural Society, is that the glut of bugs creates a source of food for other food chain enhancing insects, such as ladybirds, lacewings, wasps and spiders, that all help control pests.

But in warm climates and particularly in greenhouses, whiteflies present major problems in crop protection. They can also excrete a sticky substance (honeydew), which allows the growth of “sooty moulds,” say experts. There are around eight species of Whitefly found in Britain.