Swarms of tiny white flies plaguing parts of Bedford being mistaken for ash or even snow

Swarms of tiny white flies have been spotted across parts of Bedford.

The bugs, which are less than one millimetre in length, have been causing a nuisance flying directly in people’s faces or causing some to fear they’ve swallowed them.

Other residents have mistaken them for snow or burned paper floating about.

Residents across the town and some villages have contributed to the speculation on social media.

One woman posted to say she’d been enveloped in swarms of the white bugs in Bromham on Sunday.

Natalia Reynolds said: “They're disgusting. I’ve got a red car so it looked like it was covered. It was horrible as they floating all around me. It made me feel really itchy and you can’t swat them away.”

Another resident said: “We have seen them in parts of Kempston for a few days now. My friend thought it was snow.

“It’s a real nuisance. I know they're harmless but they’ve been sticking to your hair, eyes and clothes.”

The bugs, simply called Whitefly, are out in force all over the country at the moment, particularly during the autumnal 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. They can also feed on fruits including cucumber, tomato, peppers and melon.

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.