New York City Experiences Invasion of Tiny Bugs Amidst Canada Wildfire Smoke

New York City (NYC) is currently facing two major issues. Firstly, the smoke from the Canadian wildfires has reached the city once again, causing a haze and severely impacting air quality. On Friday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeded 150, placing NYC’s air quality in the “unhealthy” range, making it one of the worst in the world. In addition to the smoke, NYC is also dealing with an influx of tiny flying bugs. These bugs have been spotted swarming in various parts of the city, causing inconvenience and annoyance to residents.

Photographer Jeremy Cohen, known for his free-spirited photography style, encountered a significant number of these bugs while biking in NYC, as evident in a tweet he shared on June 29. Tyler Donaghy, a sustainability coordinator, also faced a similar bug situation in Brooklyn, as mentioned in his tweet. These bugs have become a nuisance to anyone who dislikes having small insects flying into their eyes and mouth.

Now, the question arises: what kind of bugs are these? Social media users have been referring to them as gnats. However, bug experts have expressed differing opinions. Based on the photos and videos shared on social media, it is more likely that these insects are aphids rather than gnats.

While aphids can also be bothersome, they do not pose the same health risks as gnats. Unless you happen to be a plant, aphids mostly feed on sap and other nutrients from plants, causing damage to fruit and vegetable gardens. However, it is understandable that people are mistaking them for gnats, as adult aphids are small, typically less than a quarter-inch, and come in various colors.

So why are there suddenly so many aphids in NYC? One possibility is the warm weather experienced during the winter and the early arrival of warmer months. Aphids thrive in heat and humidity, which may have contributed to their population growth. These changing weather patterns and the resulting increase in insect activity can be attributed to climate change, leading to more frequent wildfires and insect infestations, causing discomfort for humans.