Page 10 - AG 7-2011 Revised 2016

GREENHOUSE WHITE FLY GIANT WHITE FLY

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Brian Rineberg
Corky’s Pest Control, Inc.
Ash Whitefly Infestation
on Raywood Ash

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

1.Antenna-elongated, threadlike 6.Thorax-wings attached White Fly
2.Eyes- 2 7.Petiole- none
3.Head- attached to thorax with stylet 8.Abdomen- round 12 5
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- white
5.Wings- 2 10.Other- many sizes in this family

Life Cycle 6
The cycle begins when the female adult Whitefly walks across the leaves and deposits
characteristic waxy spirals on the underside. She then lays eggs among them. The Photo Courtesy of Univar
eggs hatch into a nymph called a “crawler”, which then develops through three instars
before reaching the adult stage. The nymphs create the familiar waxy filaments that
coat the underside of leaves. Wind can move the new adults from plant to plant, but
they prefer to stay grouped together inhabiting the lower surface of a particular leaf
their entire life.

The Whitefly is not native to California. The Giant Whitefly, a native to Mexico, was first discovered in
1992 and has become a huge pest problem to property owners in California. Despite the name, most
Giant Whiteflies are about 1/16th of an inch in size. They can infest many plants and trees, but seem
to prefer ornamentals, such as hibiscus and citrus trees.
Both immature whiteflies and adults feed by siphoning the juices out of the leaves. Over time, this can
severely damage the plant. Common signs are leaf curl, yellowing, and early leaf drop.
Another byproduct of this feeding is a sticky substance called “honeydew,” which in turn creates
a black fungus called sooty mold. Sooty mold fungus is not only unattractive, but will impede
photosynthesis, which every plant needs.

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