Aphid excrement, also called “Honeydew,” can coat vehicles with a sticky mess. (CBC)Dry weather has been a boon to Calgary's aphid population, frustrating people who are finding their cars and patio furniture covered with a sticky residue.

While the little bugs appear every summer, city entomologist Simon Wilkins said aphids have enjoyed the dry spell.

"In a situation like this year where the moisture level is a bit lower and where plants overall are perhaps a little bit more stressed, you might have the right situation to have a little more in terms of population," he said.

Every morning, Hillhurst resident Les Mottosky tries to remove the sticky mixture of aphid excrement, also called "honeydew," and poplar tree fluff from his windshield.

"I don't ever remember it being a combination of the white fluff and the stickiness — usually it's … either/or. This year it's been both and by far I don't ever remember it being this bad," he said.

Across the street, Caleb Lok has the same problem.

"I'm touching it, and it's just like basically stuck on the car, so even when we have a carwash it doesn't really come off. You still see the sap and you really have to rub it down, hard."

The best way to get rid of aphids is to focus on keeping plants healthy, so aphids won't be attracted to them in the first place, Wilkins said.

But the bugs are prolific. One aphid can lay 250 eggs through parthenogenesis, which doesn't require a mate. During a growing season, there can be 20 to 30 generations of aphids.

The city also recommends drowning aphids with water, using yellow sticky cards as traps, encouraging predatory insects such as ladybugs, and getting rid of ants, which protect aphids so they can harvest their excrement.