Whiteflies: How this tiny insect can ruin your garden
White flies are currently a huge problem in Polokwane and owner of Greener tidings, Lizzie Altenroxel says there will be major problems if efforts aren't made to get rid of them.
POLOKWANE – Plants that are not taken care of become a breeding ground for insects such as the white fly, which damages plants and businesses in the field of nursing plants for retail.
“People do not always realise that something like a small fly can be a major issue and the only way to help people understand is by educating them on things like plant diseases, ” Lizzy explains.
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The white fly can be identified as a tiny white fly that flies up when you touch or shake your shrubs/bushes or veggies.
It is common in indoor plants, tomatoes and in greenhouses.
The Whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) is a sap-sucking insect that is often found in thick crowds on the undersides of leaves. When infested plants are disturbed, great clouds of the winged adults fly into the air. Both nymphs and adults damage plants by sucking the juices from new growth causing stunted growth, leaf yellowing and reduced yields. Plants become weak and susceptible to disease.
In late spring, adult females deposit 200-400 eggs in circular clusters on the undersides of upper leaves. The eggs hatch in 5-10 days and first instar nymphs, which resemble small mealybugs and are called crawlers. Whiteflies develop from an egg to an adult in approximately 25 days at room temperature and adults may live for one to two months.
There are two ways to deal with the problem of white flies and these are:
1. Organic Control – Alternate spray of Neem oil and Ludwigs insectide every three days or use yellow sticky traps and whiteflies are attracted to bright yellow. Paint a few wooden boards bright yellow and coat with baby oil or Vaseline. Clean and reapply every second day. They will stick to the boards.
The best time to spray for white fly is early in the morning or late afternoon when they are resting under the leaves.
2. Chemical Control – Spray with Plant Care every third day for two weeks and drench with Koinor once off. Do not spray continuously for more than three days as the white fly will build up resistance.
