Whiteflies

Scientific name: several species
(Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

Facts: Whiteflies are generally quite small under 2mm even as adults. The adults are usually white as the name implies and fly slowly around plants. The life cycle is complex with the nymphs laying closely on the plant surface. The last stage is more like a pupal stage than a nymph.

Whiteflies can be severe plant pests and some of them have strains that are resistant to insecticides. They are pests often in greenhouses but can be pests in field crops and vegetables too. The silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring, is one of our worst pests in this family. The eggs and larvae look very different from the adults.

Photo credit: B. M. Drees