What dispersal stage is the primary driver for woolly aphids establishing colonies on entirely new plants?

Winged forms, known as alates

Long-distance dispersal and the colonization of new, uninfested host plants are overwhelmingly facilitated by the winged life stage of the woolly aphid, which are specifically termed alates. These winged adults are produced later in the growing season, typically appearing in late summer or early fall. Their small size and mobility allow them to be easily picked up and carried by wind currents, enabling them to travel considerable distances before settling on a suitable new feeding site, such as a young sucker or a nearby branch. While ants may assist in local movement between roots and shoots or transport aphids short distances, the alates are explicitly identified as the main vectors responsible for establishing populations on entirely new, separate host trees.