Whiteflies
Whiteflies congregate on leaf undersides, sucking plant juices and excreting honeydew.
Background & Behavior
(Aleyrodidae) Whiteflies are small, moth-like insects that feed on the undersides of leaves, sucking plant sap. They weaken plants, cause yellowing, and excrete sticky honeydew that encourages mold growth. Indoors or in greenhouses, they can spread rapidly. Regularly inspecting and cleaning plants helps keep them under control.
DIY Approaches
- Use handheld vacuums to gently remove adults from plant foliage.
- Apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to both sides of leaves.
- Introduce parasitic wasps such as Encarsia formosa in greenhouses.
- Remove severely infested plant material and dispose of it in sealed bags.
- Avoid over-fertilizing plants, which encourages lush growth attractive to whiteflies.
Professional Services
- Hire greenhouse consultants for rotation plans combining biologicals and chemicals.
- Request sticky card monitoring to track population changes.
- Schedule shadehouse fogging with labelled products for ornamental growers.
- Coordinate crop sanitation services after harvest to remove host plants.
- Engage landscape managers for large atriums with persistent whitefly issues.
Photo Gallery
