It might sound like a minor inconvenience, but a tiny green insect could end up costing you nearly a grand in car repairs this summer — and many drivers won’t even realise there’s a problem until the damage is already done.
Motoring experts are urging UK drivers to step up their car-cleaning routines as greenfly — also known as aphids — begin to appear in significant numbers across the country during the warmer months. According to Select Car Leasing, aphid numbers are expected to increase substantially as temperatures rise heading into summer, and the consequences for your paintwork could be serious.
Why Greenfly Are a Bigger Problem Than You’d Think
Greenfly are most commonly seen in the UK between May and July, which means we’re right in the thick of it. The Royal Horticultural Society confirms they feed by drawing sap from plants and trees, and anyone who parks under trees during this period is at particular risk.
The problem isn’t the insects themselves — it’s the sticky residue they leave behind. That substance, if left untreated, transforms into soot-like black mould spores that eat through paintwork because of their high acidity. And by the time you notice the damage, it may already be too late for a simple wash.
To put the numbers in perspective: a fully grown tree can host approximately 2.5 million aphids at once, and a single female greenfly can produce roughly 50 offspring — with that number potentially climbing to around six million within just one month. They reproduce without needing males to fertilise them, meaning their population can expand at a remarkable rate during warm weather.
The Potential Cost
Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing, was clear about the financial risk. Speaking about the sticky residue, he said: if you’re unfortunate enough to find this substance on your car, it is absolutely crucial to clean it off as soon as possible, as a respray could set you back around £900.
That’s a significant bill for something that could be avoided with a bit of attention and a bottle of car shampoo.
What You Can Do
The advice from Select Car Leasing is practical and worth taking seriously:
- Park away from trees where possible during the May to July period, especially if you’ll be leaving your car for extended periods
- Keep cleaning wipes in your car so you can remove any sticky residue before it has time to dry and harden
- Wash your car regularly during this period, using specialist detergents to ensure a thorough clean
- Act quickly — the longer the residue sits on the paintwork, the more difficult and expensive it becomes to deal with
For professional drivers who are out and about all day, keeping a pack of wipes in the glovebox is a simple and cheap way to avoid a very expensive problem. A quick wipe-down at the end of a shift, particularly if you’ve been parked up near trees, could save you a lot of money come the end of summer.
Conway summed it up well: they may be small and look harmless, but don’t underestimate how much damage greenfly can cause.
Consider yourself warned.
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