Integrated pest management resources for Michigan Michigan State University home IPM Michigan home
IPM Scouting in Herbaceous Perennials

Search

Christmas trees
Field crops
Fruit
Home and yard
Nursery and landscape
Turfgrass
Vegetable


Diagnostic Services
Soil/Plant Nutrient Lab
Enviro-weather
Regional IPM Center
Pesticide safety
Organic: New Ag Network
Invasive species
Sustainable ag & food systems


MSU ANR departments
MSU Extension

Site index
Contacts/permissions
Whiteflies
IPM scouting in herbaceous perennials > sucking pests > whiteflies
Whiteflies – primarily the nymphs – remove plant fluids with their piercing-sucking mouthparts resulting in leaf yellowing. Like aphids, whiteflies produce honeydew – a clear, sticky liquid. Large whitefly populations may cause plant stunting, wilting and possibly death. Eggs, nymphs and pupae are typically located on the undersides of leaves.

Management: Remove weeds from adjacent areas – many weeds serve as a reservoir for whiteflies. Placing yellow sticky cards among plants, just above the canopy, will trap adults. Dispose of plants heavily infested with whiteflies. Prune out or remove plant parts with whiteflies and dispose of everything in plastic containers. Contact and systemic insecticides may be effective in controlling whiteflies.
Whitefly adults Whitefly nymphs
Whitefly adults are 3 mm long with two pairs of wings covered with powdery white wax. Adults tend to be located on the undersides of leaves. Whitefly nymphs are elliptical, 2 to 3 mm long and pale yellow ,and they reside on leaf undersides. Some species have setae or hairs protruding from the body.
This information was developed from A Pocket Guide for IPM Scouting in Herbaceous Perennials by Jan Byrne and Raymond A. Cloyd. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2981).
The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
Email the web developer.
8/07/07