Whitefly

The Whitefly is a small pale homopteran which feeds on the underside of plant leaves. When you tap the leaf, a swarm of flies will buzz around before re-settling under the leaf.

One well known species is the Greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) which is a major pest in greenhouses but there are other pest species such as the Bandedwinged whitefly and the Silverleaf whitefly .

Whitefly control is difficult. The greenhouse whitefly has developed resistance to many pesticides. The USDA recommends "an integrated program that focuses on prevention and relies on cultural and biological control methods when possible." [1] They advise use of yellow sticky traps to monitor infestations and only selective use of insecticides.

External links

• USDA Whitefly Knowledgebase