What are Whiteflies?

What are Whitefly?

Whiteflies are sap sucking insect pests that attack a wide range of plants, including vegie crops. 

They look like a tiny whitefly or moth and are often found in hundreds or even thousands!

What are the most common whitefly?

Out of the 20 different species of Whitefly in Australia, the two most common are the greenhouse whitefly and the silverleaf whitefly.

The silverleaf variety is slightly smaller and a little more yellow in colour than the greenhouse whitefly.

When are they most prevalent?

Whiteflies are most prevalent in late spring and early summer, but numbers will naturally decline in the cold of winter. In warmer climates they are present throughout the year.

What do Whiteflies affect?

Whiteflies reproduce rapidly by laying eggs on the underside of leaves. Affected plant parts turn yellow and streaky.

Leaves can curl and wilt which affect plant growth. Whitefly can also spread viruses from plant to plant as they feed.  They excrete honeydew which can lead to an infestation of sooty mould, a fungal disease that looks like black charcoal on the leaf.

Normally whiteflies become a problem when their natural predators, such as ladybugs, lacewings or hoverfly are not present.

How can I control whiteflies?

1. Plant beneficial attracting plants like marigolds and alyssum near your precious vegie crops
2. Whitefly can be controlled by placing reflective surfaces, like foil or discarded CDs, around plants. This can have a repelling effect and keep them off your plants
3. Neem oil can be effective whilst being safe to beneficial insects
4. Hanging yellow sticky traps
5. Hosing off plants
6. Spraying with soap, garlic and chili sprays can help control populations