Removing White Flies
White flies are commonly found among houseplants and vegetable gardens, appearing as tiny yellowish moth-like insects with white waxy wings, and are typically seen resting in large clusters on leaf bottoms. Their craving for plant juices can result in extensive leaf damage, and a serious infestation is difficult to manage.
Signs of White Flies Around Your Home
Signs of a white fly outbreak include leaves that appear shiny from the honeydew they secrete. This honeydew will in turn attract other insect pests to the host plant as well, leading to further pest problems, disease and damage, and will eventually spark the growth of a black mold that interferes with the plant's food production.
Both adults and nymphs feed on plant juices, and affected leaves will quickly turn brown or yellow before falling off and subsequently weakening the plant. A magnifying glass will probably reveal clusters of their tiny white oblong eggs on leaf bottoms, from which will hatch nymphal "crawlers." At room temperature, these will develop into adults in about 25 days.
It is important to act quickly because white flies reproduce radidly and aren't choosy concerning host plants, their presence can soon become overwhelming once established. The adults will swarm up in clouds if disturbed before settling back down onto your plants. The damage they cause is not only unsightly but will rapidly kill your plants without effective treatment.
How to Prevent White Flies
Preventative measures include immediately rinsing away any visible honeydew from leaves using soapy water in order to prevent black mold growth. If infested leaves are hand vacuumed or disposed of soon enough, it may help prevent a more serious outbreak, and likewise sticky insect traps may prove beneficial.
Professional White Fly Control
Heavy white fly infestation is often a sign that their natural predators, such as lady bugs, are absent. Although such species may be introduced, the honeydew white flies produce will likely attract ants, which in turn will protect them from their enemies. While white flies don't pose an immediate threat to your health, they can be a major nuisance and eat through plants. Here at Protective, we are very experienced in quick and effective control methods.
We Serve all of Palm Beach and Broward Counties
If you care about your ornamental trees or vegetable garden, you definitely do not want to allow them to become infested with whiteflies. These sap-sucking insects cause the yellowing or death of leaves and can be very destructive. Managing an outbreak of these pests can be extremely challenging and should not be something you do on your own.
Identifying them should be your first priority. Generally, you will see whiteflies in clusters on the undersides of leaves. The adults have whitish wings and yellowish bodies. When the weather is warm and natural predators are few, whiteflies can reproduce very rapidly. Although they have many natural predators, the presence of dust or pesticides can remove many of the insects that normally keep their population in check. In all stages of their lives, whiteflies suck the juices from plant leaves and excrete the excess as drops of honeydew. The sticky honeydew causes sooty mold and attracts ants that discourage the other insects that would normally eat the whiteflies.
If you believe you have a whitefly infestation, time is of the essence. Don't allow these pests to damage your flowers or vegetables any further or lead to the spread of viruses. If it is caught in the early stages, an infestation can cause little to no permanent losses. At Protective Pest Control, our licensed professionals are experienced at identifying the nature and extent of your infestation and enacting a comprehensive plan for eliminating these pests quickly and thoroughly. Don't wait another day: Call Protective Pest Control now for a free quote. It's the first step toward fully protecting your beautiful and valuable plants and trees.
