What you need to know about that sticky goo covering Texas

Catch up quick: A lot of Texans (and news outlets) have noticed an increase in the amount of sticky gunk beneath Texas trees this year. That icky substance is called honeydew, a sugary liquid excreted by aphids, an insect the size of a pinhead that feeds on tree leaves.

What's happening: The insects are found on many plants but are especially noticeable on pecan trees and crepe myrtles in Texas.

• And there's a whole ecosystem around this. Ants love to snack on the honeydew, so they rub the backs of aphids to stimulate the insect to excrete a droplet.

Between the lines: The insects arrived later than usual this year due to the record-breaking drought, but their population has exploded per the Dallas Morning News.

• The bugs have fewer predators this year, too, another result of the drought.

Yes, but: Natural predators like ladybugs can be released into a backyard to eat the aphids.

• Rain also helps wash away the honeydew.

Of note: Honeydew won't kill your trees, but it's a pain, and it often leads to sooty mold growing on the top of the dew.

• That fungus blocks sunlight from getting to tree leaves and slows its growth.

What they're saying: They're insects, so they don't speak English. But horticulturists have been going nuts dealing with their excretions.

• "The entire state is covered in goo," Texas gardening expert Neil Sperry recently wrote in his newsletter. "Frankly, it's getting on my nerves."