Oh you pesky white fly!!!

     Of course we all think,"that will never happen to me" yet at some time in our lives it inevitably does.  Yes, I am talking about the spiraling whitefly.  This little insect along with a myriad of others have invaded Florida with a vengeance.  Yesterday I saw them, hundreds of them, just mocking me as they perched like the devil's little minions on my willow bustic tree.  I am not a "sprayer" by nature so as I pondered how tha' heck am I gonna get these under control, Mother Nature pulls through again.  Though this is a daunting task for any pest control company, there may be a light at the end of this insect tunnel.  There were ladybugs all over my tree eating the whiteflies.  Yeah buddy!!!

Little whiteflies...see their spiraling pattern on the leaf

Mother Nature's pest control
You can purchase live lady bug's at The Garden Gate in
the Pompano Citi Centre. 

     On a serious note, whitefly on a massive scale needs to be treated systemically.  That means that the tree or bush need chemical and biological treatment through the root system over a long period of time for the plant to be resistant to the whitefly.  It can be financially and emotionally draining for most home owners.  Plus there is always a trust factor when dealing with pest control companies..."are they spraying what I am paying for?"  My personal preference for pest control is to go natural as best as I can (and can afford lol).  So I purchase ladybugs, beneficial nematodes, spray with neem oil or soapy water and use organic fertilizer and amendments to keep the plant immune system healthy.  There are a vast array of home made concoctions for natural insecticides, just make sure you check the source from which the recipes are coming from.

Here are a few reliable resources for you to peruse through.  The more you know about what these little critters are and how to rid your landscape of them the better prepared you will be.

University of Florida extension branch - http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/agriculture/whiteflies.html
The Fig whitefly - http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso/IAWG/FIG/The%20Fig%20Whitefly.htm
Whitefly on landscape ornamentals - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg254
USDA whitefly knowledge base - http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/fasulo/whiteflies/wfly0002.htm?

Good luck my friends and Happy Gardening!!!

Sheri

XOXO