Tiny, tiny white flying bugs...

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
josiegeo Bacliff, TX Jun 14, 2009

... have made the leaves on my Confederate Rose look as if they're covered in soot or oil. I cut a branch and when I shook it, I was swarmed with a bunch of tiny, white "things"! Can someone help me figure out what these are and how I can eliminate them, preferably without chemicals? The plant is alive, even has a bloom, but the green leaves look horrible, all speckled with black. New growth hasn't been affected... yet.

Post #6685858
Quote
suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jun 14, 2009

Sounds like whiteflies (Hemiptera/Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae), relatives of aphids. See if you can obtain a copy of the Texas A&M Extension publication L-1299, Whiteflies for control advice.

Post #6685905
Quote
trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jun 14, 2009

whitefly is hard to get rid of. the flying adults are not the things damaging a plant, but rather their larvae, located on the undersides of the leaves. naturally you want to dispose of both because the adults are the egg layers.

there are several approaches that have worked for me if you are going organic. first, you really must take off as many affected leaves as possible. your plant will come back. i would first try dr. bronner's liquid castile soap and water (2 tablespoons per gallon) and spray it down till it drips and drips and drips some more. try this for a few days (early in the morning or late evening to save our bee friends). if at the end of a week you still see them, get a can of generic PAM and thoroughly spray it down. do it in the evening because applying oil will burn whatever leaves you have left. evening doesn't guarantee you won't still lose leaves but in order to fight these guys, drastic measures are needed. the plant will survive your onslaught. as it is, the whitefly will weaken your plant and also move to other plants. good luck!

Post #6687353
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Insect and Spider Identification Threads

Go to all Insect and Spider Identification threads
BACK TO TOP