Whitefly parasites Controls whiteflies (500)
The Pest: Whiteflies
First Sign: Tiny, pure white "moths" resting on leaf surfaces. When disturbed, these moth-like flies quickly flutter up, then settle back down onto plants. Leaves may appear shiny with honeydew. A magnifier reveals clear-white "scales" (the pupae) on the undersides of leaves. All stages of Whiteflies suck plant juices.
Most Common Species: Greenhouse Whitefly & Sweet Potato Whitefly. It's so difficult to be certain which species you have, that we advise either consulting your county agent to be sure, or simply widening your predator strategy to cover both species - it's not uncommon to have both pests together.
Special Species Notes: What finally kills plants with a Whitefly infestation isn't usually the Whiteflies, but a black sooty mold that grows on their accumulated honeydew. By this stage, there'll be clouds of Whiteflies. This is the time to rinse any shiny honeydew off the plants with a strong soapy water spray to prevent sooty mold from growing.
Greenhouse Whitefly Control:
Whitefly Parasites
Tiny Whitefly Parasites (Encarsia formosa) lay their eggs inside developing Whitefly pupae, so a Whitefly Parasite hatches out instead of a Whitefly. You'll need a magnifier to see them, but they spell death for Greenhouse Whiteflies, and they provide some limited control of Sweet Potato Whitefly as well.
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