Control of Whiteflies around entire yard

13 years ago

Hi! I really need some help. I have a problem with whiteflies in and around my entire yard that are destroying alot of my plants. I have ammended the soil in both my lawn and flower beds using Humates, Cotton Burr, Micro Life for fertilizer. I have sprayed my entire yard with seeweed and molasses. I've put out sticy traps. I've used the soap recipe using dawn soap plus vegetable oil. I've also sprayed with neem oil (what is the concentration of neem oil on a hose end sprayer?). I feel like I am loosing the battle. My big problem is I am having Professional landscapers come in 2 weeks to landscape the front of my house. I don't want to be spending several thousand dollars for this if white flies are going to destroy them. I would love to have any suggestions on what I can do. The whiteflies seem concentrated in my boxwood shrubs and other green shrubs in my yard plus my hibiscus plants. Thanks so much!

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Comments (10)

jolj
13 years ago
Ladybugs!

Here is a link that might be useful: organic white fly control
jean001a
13 years ago
Whiteflies, even if all over the yard, are seasonal.

I suggest you contact your county's Extension Service office to verify the ID, also for effective management options.

Use this clickable USDA map to locate your county's office:
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

Here is a link that might be useful: locate your county's extension service office
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Whitelies are harmful only in very large numbers, and they develop into very large numbers only when people spray insecticides to control them which harms the predators of the whitefly more then this pest. If some control is necessary Insecticidal Soaps are as helpful as anything as long as you make sure the leaf is thoroughly covered and it contacts the larva. Neem Oil products may also help, but both of these can also kill off the predators. Here is a link that might be useful: Whitefly control
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It looks like I'm in the early stages of a nasty whitefly infestation. They're all over the place, especially near the house, but they only seem to be negatively impacting the chard so far. In thinking about a strategy to combat whiteflies, obviously I can't whip up an insectary over the weekend, but an insectary is something I'm interested in the longterm. Some key points in thinking about strategy: > This is my first six months in this house, and my first year trying to suppress a yard full of oxalis. 90% of the 75' x 25' yard is sheet mulched with cardboard covered with up to 6" of wood chips. This means that the annual exotic grasses, such as foxtail and wild oats (neither of which I would mind as they're easy enough manage), are also suppressed, so there's not much habitat for beneficial insects. Should I even bother with predator insects if there's hardly a place for them to settle? > I've got neem oil and yellow sticky traps on hand, and I've got Delphrastus pusillus and Encarsia formosa coming in the mail. I'm also thinking of getting some ladybugs. Should I apply the neem oil a day before I release any insect predator, as the neem oil could kill the predator in addition to the pest? Is there a strategy to placing yellow sticky traps? I think I placed one too high up and I caught a honey bee this morning. That's not good, although I did manage to set her free. > Whiteflies population is densest near the house, where they cover all kinds of inedible surfaces--the siding, the metal security gate. They were getting in the house when we left the backdoor open, but they seem to die in a day because there's nothing to eat in here (one Billbergia nutans and one ZZ plant, neither of which have whiteflies on them). Primarily they're going for the chard, the Bergenia, and the invasive morning glory which covers the fence. The chard was volunteer when I moved in and I wouldn't mind pulling it all out. The Bergenia I want to save. The morning glory I would be happy to be rid of, but I'd have to ask my neighbor as I think it's coming from his yard. Whiteflies are also around the compost and worm bin. What could they be eating in there? Worm bin is full of shredded phone book, used bunny litter, and far gone kitchen scraps. Compost is kitchen scraps, used bunny litter, and straw from the feed store. Thankfully, they're not going for the brand new Western Redbud, even though it's right near the worm bin. > I'm in Oakland, CA, where we've been affected by a four-year drought. The whitefly population has exploded all around the neighborhood after two weeks of heavy storms followed by weeks of warm, sunny days. I'm taking a multifaceted approach of sticky traps, neem oil/plant soap, and predator/parasitic insects. If anyone's got any ideas above and beyond that I'm all ears. I'd like to get this problem taken care before tomatoes go in the ground in six weeks or so. At that time, if need be, I may lay aluminum foil around tomato plants.
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There are numbers of beneficial insects that will control Whitefly, Green Lacewings and several wasp species. The link below will supply you with everything you ever wanted to know about Whitefly, and more. But the one thing they do not cover is your soil, Whitefly, like all other insect pests are attracted to plants that are under stress, growing in soils that are not as healthy as they could be. Here is a link that might be useful: Whitefly control
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Kimmsr
13 years ago
Dawn is a detergent, not a soap, and has little to no insecticidal properties, you need to use a real soap to make an Insecticidal Soap spray. Contact your local Texas A & M Cooperative Extension Serice office about identifying these properly and also about having a good reliable soil test done.

Here is a link that might be useful: About Whiteflies
jolj
13 years ago
What did you try?
What worked for you?
luvpatch2
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi jolj

Ive tried a homemade concoction of dish soap and oil in a mixture that was sprayed using a hose end ortho sprayer. I've tried insecticidal soap then a few days later neem oil most recently. I've tried a bug blaster with a strong spray. I've sprayed entire yard with seaweed and molasses which was a recommendation by "Soil Menders". I've added microlife to flower bed and lawn instead of regular fertilizers that I use to use as I've heard that helps. I've also ordered lacewing beneficial insects which I put out 2-3 weeks ago but I'm afraid that all the other spraying has probably killed them. I ordered the lacewings in shipments of 3 so I have 2 more shipments to come. I've tried spraying with the soaps and neem every 4-5 days as suggested . Nothing seems to be working. I'm going to try and check with county extension office as someone earlier suggested! This has just been terrible! I'm afraid to plant new plants. The whiteflies have destroyed alot of my plants such as violas, pansies , by new geraniums and are also affecting some other plants. They seem to be living in my boxwood shrubs and lingustrums and also some shrubs in my back yard that have red berrries on them. Thanks for suggestions!
rfonte649
13 years ago
Garlic Oil Spray
10-15 cloves of minced garlic
2 tsp. mineral oil
600 ml water
1 tsp. liquid dish soap
Soak garlic in mineral oil for 24 hours. Strain garlic out and add 600 ml water and 1 tsp. liquid dish soap. Mix thoroughly. Spray plants with this solution.
Pests affected: Aphids, spider ites, and whiteflies

Try this one, it works for me.
SoTX
13 years ago
Garlic is non-selective--kills the good bugs, too. I use shoofly (nicandra physaloides) for control in the greenhouse after trying everything else. It is easy to grow, pretty blue flowers, and reseeds.

I also leave my wasps alone to do their job. I have yellowjackets and red hornets & they keep the plants free of aphids, etc. Make sure they have a water source & watch for them when you're working with plants.
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
13 years ago
I've also ordered lacewing beneficial insects which I put out 2-3 weeks ago but I'm afraid that all the other spraying has probably killed them.

Sweet.

I see no mention of trapping, which will supplement the proper spraying, as the flies that are flying when spraying won't be affected.

Dan
marymd7
13 years ago
Yellow sticky traps.
Kimmsr
13 years ago
While this article is about whitefly control in the greenhouse it does have information that can help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Whitefly control

Control of Whiteflies around entire yard

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jolj

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jolj

luvpatch2
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SoTX

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)

marymd7

Kimmsr

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Control of Whiteflies around entire yard

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