INVASIVE WHITEFLY REMOVAL

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There are currently two invasive Whitefly species attacking the Florida region in great numbers. One is the Ficus Fig Whitefly and the other is the Rugose Whitefly.

The Ficus Fig Whitefly is a very damaging pest to many Ficus species. Severe infestations of Ficus Fig Whitefly will cause massive leaf drop and defoliation

The Rugose Whitefly will infest a very wide range of plants. It is not typically as damaging to plants as the Ficus Fig Whitefly. The Rogose Whitefly produces an abundance of white waxy material.

 It is very easy to spot Rugose Spiraling Whitefly Damage.  The leaves of your plant, tree or palm tree will have a white waxy film on the leaves along with blackish looking sooty mold. This mold is produced as a byproduct of the “honeydew” sugary substance that is created when the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly feeds on leaves. The end result is that if you do not treat your landscaping properly, your plants or trees will experience defoliation.

Females lay eggs on the underside of leaves in a concentric circular or spiral pattern and cover it with white waxy matter. Eggs are elliptical and creamy white to dark yellow in color. Adult females sometimes lay their eggs on non-plant surfaces such as cars, windows and walls. 

 Rugose whitefly adults are about three times larger than the commonly found Whiteflies and are lethargic by nature. Although taxonomic identification is required for species confirmation, Rugose Whitefly adults can be distinguished by their large size and the presence of a pair of irregular light brown bands across the wings. Males have long pincer-like structures at the end of their abdomen.