Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Natural Ways
• Part 2 of 4: Using Traps
• Part 3 of 4: Using repellents
• Part 4 of 4: Using Chemicals
• Warnings

Whiteflies are similar to small white moths or aphids, there are more than 1000 species of them. These insects congregate and reproduce in large numbers on the underside of the leaves. Their larvae and adults suck sap from plants and damage them. Once an infection has developed and expanded, it is difficult to get rid of it. You may have to use different methods over several weeks, or even prune infected plants.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Natural Ways

1. 1 Vacuum the leaves. Use a small handheld vacuum cleaner or a regular vacuum cleaner with a furniture attachment. Vacuum the infested plants and collect the pests from the underside of the leaves. This quick and direct method removes whitefly at all stages of development, from larvae to leaf-eating adult insects. It is most effective during the early infestation phase, when you spot the first pests.
   • Remove the dust bag when it is full of insects. Place the used bag in a plastic bag, seal it tightly, and place it in the freezer for at least 24 hours to kill pests. After all insects have died, empty the contents of the bag into the trash can.
2. 2 Remove heavily infested leaves and branches. Try to trim the infested areas with garden shears so as not to kill the plant. Leaves affected by the parasite can simply be torn off. Look for white eggs and wingless parasites on the underside of the leaves. Heavily infested leaves can be covered with a sticky, waxy liquid - honeydew secreted by pests that feed on plant sap. In addition, the leaves may appear pale and wilted.
   • Only cut off enough leaves and branches that will not harm the plant's health. If the pest has settled on a particularly delicate plant, remove only the most infested leaves. If the plant is hardy enough, you can cut the infected branches down to the stem to stop the spread of the disease.
   • Dispose of infected leaves properly. Burn them or place them in a sealable bag. Handle them with care, otherwise the whitefly could get on other plants and the infection will recur.
3. 3 Get ready for several stages of treatment. In its development, the whitefly goes through four stages: eggs, larvae, pupae and adult flying insects. Usually, each method is designed for separate stages of the whitefly life cycle. For example, if a method is aimed at killing adult whiteflies, you will have to use it until all the eggs develop into adults. At the same time, be careful and persistent so that newly emerging adult whiteflies do not have time to lay new eggs.
   • Whiteflies harm plants only at the stages of larvae and adult insects. In the absence of proper measures, infection can take on more serious forms.
   • To start treatment on time, learn about the life expectancy and individual developmental stages of your whitefly species. Different species, including greenhouse, fig, citrus, cabbage and strawberry whitefly, have different lifespans.
4. 4 Wash the plants with soapy water. Dispense a large drop of dish soap into 4 liters of water and stir well. Pay special attention to the underside of the leaves, where the whitefly most often lives. Please note that this method only kills adult insects. Wash the leaves every 3-4 days to kill any new whiteflies that have just hatched from their cocoon. Depending on the type of whitefly, you may need to wash the leaves for several weeks to get rid of the pests.
   • If you are using a concentrated soap solution, try to apply it at the end of the day to avoid burning the leaves.
5. 5 Get a natural predator in your garden. Whiteflies feed on various types of insects, so you can get rid of the infestation by bringing in a suitable predator to the local ecosystem. The choice of a predator depends on the type of whitefly. Consider planting green lacewings, ladybugs, predatory bugs, ground bugs, wasps, or hunting bugs in your garden.
   • Be careful when introducing new types of insects in your garden. Predators will help to cope with the whitefly, but it is possible that your garden will soon be flooded with new insects! Please study this issue before taking action.

Part 2 of 4: Using Traps

1. 1 Use yellow sticky traps. They can be purchased at a gardening store or made yourself. Simply cover a hard, yellow surface (cardboard or board) with a slowly drying adhesive. Glue, honey, lube, or petroleum jelly will do. Whiteflies are believed to be attracted to the color yellow. Insects will sit on the sticky surface and will not be able to pull away from it.
   • If you are using a homemade trap, you may need to reapply the sticky substance when it dries. For example, glue can dry in minutes or hours. Machine oil and petroleum jelly may be less effective, but they stay sticky longer.
   • Remember to remove traps if you spray or wash your leaves or try to infest your garden with predators.
2. 2 Place traps near the leaves. Whiteflies tend to concentrate on the underside of leaves, and the trap will be more effective if you place it near their natural habitat.
3. 3 Know when to clear traps. Remove the traps after the whiteflies are nearly gone and only a few pests will be trapped during the day. Traps can also destroy beneficial insects that prey on whiteflies, so they should not be placed in case of light infestation, when predators are able to cope with pests themselves. If the whiteflies breed again, traps can be set up again.

Part 3 of 4: Using repellents

1. 1 Scare off the whitefly with companion plants. Whitefly eschews French and Mexican marigolds, as well as nasturtium. Plant these plants in your garden to protect yourself from re-invasion of pests! However, keep in mind that this is a preventative measure and you are unlikely to be able to get rid of an existing infection.
   • Indoor marigold and calendula varieties are ineffective. Choose the variety that suits you! If in doubt, check with a plant nursery to find out which companion plants will repel the whitefly.
2. 2 Spray the plants with soap and water. Mix alcohol and water in a 1-liter spray bottle in a 2: 5 ratio. Then add a tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid dish soap. Spray leaves that are susceptible to infection from a spray bottle. The spray will stop adult whiteflies from laying eggs and will not damage the plants unless you apply too much of it.
   • Try a natural oil spray, such as neem oil.
3. 3 Spray the base of the plants with an earthworm fertilizer spray. It has been found that natural earthworm fertilizer repels whiteflies for several weeks or months after application. In addition, this fertilizer contains nutrients that are excellent for stimulating plant growth. You can buy earthworm fertilizer at your garden supply store.
4. 4 Cover the soil with reflective material. Cover the ground around affected plants with aluminum foil or reflective plastic mulch. This will make it harder for adult whiteflies to find host plants and reduce the likelihood that they will lay eggs.
   • In this case, you should take care of watering the plants. Plants surrounded by plastic mulch will need a drip irrigation system.
   • Do not use mulch in hot weather. Too much mulch can overheat the plants.

Part 4 of 4: Using Chemicals

1. 1 Consider all the risks and benefits of using insecticides. On the one hand, purchased pesticides in some cases can quickly get rid of pests. However, it is known that the whitefly is highly resistant to various chemicals. In addition, these products are often toxic to other members of the local ecosystem, including plants and beneficial insects in your garden, as well as domestic and wildlife, and even humans. Use pesticides only as a last resort.
2. 2 Be aware that whiteflies develop pesticide resistance quickly. Most common insecticides will not kill whitefly eggs and pupae. If you do use such products, change them every few days so that the pests do not have time to adapt. Even so, there is a high risk that the whitefly will adapt. As a result, you can inadvertently breed a hardy "super whitefly" strain!

Warnings

• Many whitefly remedies need to be applied several times.
• Insecticides can be harmful if swallowed. Most of the insecticides used to control whitefly cause the death and significant reduction in the number of bees, which are necessary for pollination of flowering plants.