what are these white things in the air called?

[alpacinou]

Hello,

In summer and spring, there are this white things flying in the air. What are they called? And is "fly" the verb to describe their movement? How would you describe a scene like this:

 

[Tarheel]

They are all in shady areas. It might be the way some of the leaves reflect the light.

 

[tedmc]

Floating dandelion seeds?
https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/floating-dandelion.html

 

[Tarheel]

The more I think about it the more I think it's leaves. (We wouldn't be able to see dandelion seeds at that distance.)

(Dandelions have a very good strategy for spreading their seeds. They use the wind.)

 

[tedmc]

The more I think about it the more I think it's leaves. (We wouldn't be able to see dandelion seeds at that distance.)

(Dandelions have a very good strategy for spreading their seeds. They use the wind.)

Leaves don't float in the air like that. They are visible due to reflection of light from the white, fluffy, parachute-like structures against a dark background.

 

[Tarheel]

After taking yet another look, yes they are floating objects. (I should have realized that from the start, of course.)

I don't think a still photograph will uncover the mystery.

 

[Raymott]

Moths?

 

[emsr2d2]

They could be these: https://www.wvlt.tv/content/news/What-are-those-white-tufts-floating-in-the-air-448483203.html

Or these: http://www.allergyforall.com/blog/that-white-cottony-stuff-blowing-around-in-the-air-is-not-snow-1

 

[Tarheel]

They have to be visible from quite a distance. I think moths might be the answer. Now if I could just see them moving.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Micro-drones.

 

[emsr2d2]

... they are floating objectives.

I have a lot of those in life!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I have a lot of those in life!

I am one in life!

 

[alpacinou]

Thanks everyone. I think they are dandelions. Are these commonly referred to as dandelion clocks? The dictionary says it's British English:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/34/67/d5/3467d582b02a7be1fcf8eeb6f7622443.jpg

What do Americans call it? And the bits that fly are called "dandelions"?

 

[GoesStation]

Thanks everyone. I think they are dandelions. Are these commonly referred to as dandelion clocks? The dictionary says it's British English:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/34/67/d5/3467d582b02a7be1fcf8eeb6f7622443.jpg

What do Americans call it? And the bits that fly are called "dandelions"?

The plant and its flower are called "dandelions". I call the flying seeds "dandelion seeds", but I wouldn't be surprised to learn there's another name for them.

 

[emsr2d2]

They're called dandelion clocks in BrE when you play the (rather pointless) game where you pick one and then blow until all the seeds are gone, counting upwards from 1 each time you blow. The idea (or rather, the totally unfounded belief) is that the number of times you have to blow will match the time it actually is. So if it takes you four blows to get rid of all the seeds, it's 4 o'clock (or sometime between 4:00 and 5:00 at least). It's nonsense, of course!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

The plant and its flower are called "dandelions". I call the flying seeds "dandelion seeds", but I wouldn't be surprised to learn there's another name for them.

I sure can't think of a better one.

Clocks? Really? Where did they get that from?

 

[Tarheel]

Thanks everyone. I think they are dandelions. Are these commonly referred to as dandelion clocks? The dictionary says it's British English:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/34/67/d5/3467d582b02a7be1fcf8eeb6f7622443.jpg

What do Americans call it? And the bits that fly are called "dandelions"?

The dandelion in that picture is quite close. Now you need a closeup of one of those white fluffy things. (They are bigger than dandelions or they wouldn't be visible in the picture in post #1. (I got as much of a closeup as I could, and I couldn't tell what they are.)

The shapes of those objects vary, which makes sense if they are flying moths. (Google flying moths.)

 

[Rover_KE]

Clocks? Really? Where did they get that from?

ems explained that in post #15.