WHITEFLIES

Photos by: Zdenek Landa and Lance S. Osborne

ADULTS

SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY or SWEETPOTATO WHITEFLY

GREENHOUSE WHITEFLY

PAPAYA WHITEFLY

GIANT WHITEFLY

FICUS WHITEFLY

EGGS

SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY

GREENHOUSE WHITEFLY

SCALES

SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY

CRAWLERS

1ST THRU FOURTH INSTARS

LATE FOURTH INSTARS

NOTE: EYES AND DEVELOPING WING PADS OF THE ADULTS

SCALES FROM WHICH ADULTS HAVE EMERGED

(White scales with T-shaped tear in cutical)

GREENHOUSE WHITEFLY

DAMAGE FROM SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY SCALES

Damage to ivy from scales feeding on older leaves below this leaf on the same stem.

Damage to Mandevilla from scales feeding on older leaves below this leaf on the same stem.

PAPAYA WHITEFLY

GIANT WHITEFLY

The immature stages or scales of this whitefly make a waxy material that hangs from the infested leaves. This material is often called a "beard" and can be as long as 6 inches.

FICUS WHITEFLY

The greenhouse whitefly is an important and most persistent pest of many ornamentals, particularly poinsettia, as well as bedding plants such as ageratum, fuchsia and salvia. However, this pest is of only occasional importance on tropical foliage plants, unless they are grown in accompaniment with a major whitefly host. Adults are white and are the most easily detected stage as they fly when disturbed, quickly settling again on lower leaf surfaces of the newly expanded foliage. Infestations can begin by introduction of infested plants or migration of adults from other crops or weed hosts either inside or outside of the greenhouse. Once again, the growth of sooty molds will accompany and follow an infestation. Seriously affected foliage becomes chlorotic and wilted.

NATURAL ENEMIES

This fourth instar scale shows typical signs of being killed by either a parasitoid by host feeding or from being infected by an insect pathogen such as Isaria fumosorosea.

Adults infected with Isaria fumosorosea (PFR-97)

Adults infected with Ashersonia sp.

Adults infected with Beauveria bassiana.

SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY

Encarsia sophia (transvena)

Black scales are whiteflies with the parasitoid pupae in side.

Encarsia sophia (transvena)

The two photos below show the larval stages within the parasitized scales which will first turn brown then black as the parasitoid larvae become pupae.