By DoMyOwn staff
Struggling with white flies on your plants? Discover the best methods to get rid of whiteflies and protect your garden.
If you’ve ever disturbed a plant and seen a cloud of flying white insects, your plant may have a whitefly infestation. Though small in size, whiteflies can cause a variety of damage as they feed on the sap of ornamental, garden, greenhouse, and house plants. By following these steps, you can prevent and control a whitefly infestation.
Despite the name Whitefly, these winged, sap-sucking insects are not really flies. They get their name from the off-white waxy substance that they produce to coat their body and wings. In addition to their bright white wings that help them stand out against most green foliage, adult whiteflies have a triangular body shape and are quite small – ranging from one-twelfth to one-eighth of an inch.
They hatch from eggs that are even smaller. The eggs are laid on the underside of plant leaves in a circular or spiral pattern, range in color from light yellow to brown, and may be covered with a layer of wax for protection.
When checking your plants for this pest, be sure to examine the underside of leaves since both the adults will often hang here and this is where the eggs are laid. Also inspect any newly emerged plant growth, as they prefer to feed on the young leaves of ornamental and edible plants.
You may have also noticed signs of an infestation with your plant.
Whiteflies use their sucking mouthparts to extract the sap of plants, which results in yellow, wilted, curled up leaves. This feeding process also produces a sticky substance called honeydew that can cover the plant. The sweet honeydew attracts ants and can lead to the growth of sooty mold on the plant.
These can all be signs of a sap-sucking insect infestation. Other sap-sucking insects including aphids and scale can cause similar damage to the plant, so it’s always best to visually confirm which pests are present. This will help ensure you have the most effective treatment plan.
If whiteflies are actively feeding on your plant, running your hands across the undersides of leaves will cause them to fly off making it apparent which of the sap-sucking pests is causing the damage. You can also place sticky traps near a suspected infestation to capture pests nearby.
Once you’ve identified you have Whiteflies, you can begin steps to control and prevent future infestations.
You can use a water hose to spray down the affected plants, including the underside of leaves. This will knock off many of the whiteflies that may be hiding underneath and clear the honeydew from the plant. Spraying your plants with water can offer some temporary relief but is not a long-lasting solution. Whiteflies will come back to feed on your plants again soon.
An insecticide spray or insecticidal soap that is labeled for whitefly control will be needed for longer control against whiteflies. Treatment varies when treating edible or non-edible plants.
For a quick attack on visible whiteflies on ornamentals, trees, shrubs, and other non-edible plants, start with a foliar insecticide spray application. Spray the leaves of the plants that have been affected with a bifenthrin-based insecticide. Make sure to cover the undersides of leaves where whiteflies, and other sucking pests, like to hide. Follow the mix and application instructions on the product you select for the most effective treatment.
You can follow up the foliar insecticide spray with a systemic insecticide application. A systemic root drench application with a product containing imidacloprid or dinotefuran will offer a longer lasting residual effect but will take some time to fully spread through the plants you’ve treated. This type of treatment can work hand in hand with the initial foliar spray treatment for longer term control.
If you are treating edible plants, such as fruit or vegetable plants, apply insecticidal soaps or neem oil sprays. Consult the label of the product you select for how long you must wait after applying to harvest and eat from these plants.
When applying horticultural oils or insecticidal soaps, take care to avoid use in hot weather, typically above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, as these types of products can cause leaf burn under bright sunlight.
While its best to avoid treating outdoor plants that are in bloom, if you do need to apply a foliar spray to flowering plant apply it in the mornings or evening hours to reduce the risk to pollinators.
Be sure to read and follow the usage and application instructions on the label of any product you select to safely and effectively get rid of whiteflies on your plants.
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