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Whiteflies
are commonly found on plants in the home. Like many
other houseplant pests, these are sap-feeding insects
that can weaken plants and cause poor, stunted growth.
Death of infested plants occurs only in severe cases.
How
do you know if you have whiteflies? If you see "dandruff"
on your houseplant and it flies away when you shake
the plant, it’s probably whiteflies. These 1/16-inch
insects with snow-white wings are a common greenhouse
pest.
In flight, they look like tiny bits of white ash swirling
in the air. Both the adults and the immature stages
feed on the undersides of plant leaves.
While
some houseplant pests can be controlled by simply washing
the plants under running water, or with insecticidal
soap products, whitefly control usually requires the
use of pesticides.
 Select
a product labeled for use against the pest you want
to control. Some houseplants are sensitive to certain
pesticides, so be sure to check the label for any cautions
to make sure it won’t harm your plant. It’s often a
good idea to test the material on a small portion of
the plant before treating the whole thing. Read and
follow all label directions whenever using these or
other pesticides.
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