Identifying and treating whiteflies

A whitefly infestation can be devastating to commercial operations. Whiteflies extract sap from plants, and serious infestations can cause the stunting of plant growth, yellow foliage, and other symptoms of plant decline. That’s why it’s important to know more about this troublesome insect’s biology, how to identify them, and ultimately how to treat infestations.

Whiteflies resemble tiny, white moths. The oval-shaped insects have two pairs of wings coated with a waxy powder and after hatching, whitefly nymphs are mobile with six legs. But after a few days, they molt and develop into rounder, thinner sedentary nymphs that resemble scales. Whiteflies are most commonly identified by their small size, white or yellowish color, and their tendency to fly away when disturbed.

They often congregate on the undersides of leaves, where they lay their eggs and feed primarily on the underside of leaves with their piercing mouths, stunting plant growth. The eggs change from yellow to gray and appear cone-shaped, hatching typically within two days. They also cause plants to become sticky and discolored. Whiteflies reproduce rapidly - creating vast populations. Infestations are first localized, then expanded to larger areas.

Most insecticides target whiteflies in the adult stage of their development. However, since insects are always simultaneously in different stages of growth, most control programs are ineffective. Central Life Sciences offers Enstar® AQ Insect Growth Regulator (Enstar® AQ), that controls whiteflies at all four stages of growth and prevents the insect from progressing to the next stage of its life cycle. Enstar® AQ can be used to control existing whitefly populations and used to prevent future populations from reaching damaging levels. Please refer to label for product application rates.

Enstar® AQ and Mavrik Aquaflow® Insecticide/Miticide (Mavrik Aquaflow®) can make for a winning tank-mix combination in the battle against whiteflies. Enstar® AQ prevents existing populations from reaching damaging levels, while Mavrik Aquaflow® can be applied as a broadcast, fogger or bench application for immediate control. The combination of Enstar® AQ teamed with Mavrik Aquaflow® is an unbeatable, cost-effective program. Mavrik Aquaflow® provides immediate control of adult and nymph whiteflies. Once whiteflies are under control, a preventative program will keep damaging populations from developing. Please refer to label for product application rates.

Introducing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is the most effective way to consistently protect your greenhouse and nursery plants from whiteflies and additional harmful insects. And the key to a successful IPM program is product rotation.

Mavrik Aquaflow® and Enstar® AQ can be rotated and work in tandem to deliver more flexibility and greater control to your IPM program. Regular monitoring and early detection of whitefly infestations can also help in preventing them from spreading and causing significant damage to plants.

Enstar and Mavrik Aquaflow are registered trademarks of Wellmark International.

Dannis Warf is a regional sales manager for Central Life Sciences.