What are the white cotton like puffs that float from trees in the spring?
What you are seeing is a spider flying. It is referred to as “Ballooning”. on a windy spring day, young spiders climb to the top of shrubs or trees and release a line of web into the wind. When enough of this has gone out, they let go of the leaf while still holding onto the web and fly on the wind currents. Over time it will fold over on it self and bunch up and look wispy like smoke. This is the way that some species of spiders “migrate” away from their brood for the best chance of survival. See the related link for more information.
