Ever noticed tiny little white bugs on your beautiful garden plants? If you have, it’s time to act the moment you notice them. Wondering why? What you’ve just seen is the whitefly, and they weaken the plant, leaving it susceptible to disease and rot.
What Are White Flies?
White flies are a little tough to notice. They’re found year-round in Florida gardens, and more than 250 ornamental and vegetable plants can play host to these little creatures. The adults are only about 1/16th of an inch in length, and they resemble tiny moths. They have short antenna, and you usually see them near the top of the plant. Turn a leaf over, though, and you’re likely to see the wingless nymphs on the underside of the plant. They attach themselves to the bottom of leaves and begin feeding off of the plant’s sap. At this stage, they’re easy to overlook because they’re quite pale, and they blend in with the leaf.
Adults live for one to two months, depositing anywhere between two hundred and four hundred eggs each, typically under the leaves of your favorite plant. It takes just ten days for an egg to hatch. The entire growth cycle only requires twenty-five days.
White Fly Control
Once you’ve found a problem in your garden, your best bet is to work with a pest control professional to help eliminate it immediately. You can, however, prevent it from coming back. Consider reflective mulches to help repel them from your garden. You may also want to encourage beneficial predators like ladybugs and spiders to help keep whiteflies off of your plants.
Whether it’s whitefly control that worries you or you just need a bit of landscaping assistance, we’re here to help with all of your lawn care and pest control needs. To learn more, contact us today.