Clinda: Read "I have an insect in my garden and have no idea what it is". Do the white flies on your figs look like the picture in that post (and as they're described in the copy)?? Those things are also on my figs--but doing little damage. They're not eating the figs, just hanging around on the stalks (and maybe sucking, a little).

Marylandmojo, I read that thread prior to posting my problem. Mine are tiny white flies that fly everywhere when I disturb even one leaf on my fig tree.

Wonder if I sprayed my tree with dishwashing liquid if it would suffocate the flies.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Your fig, no doubt, has an infestation of true Whiteflies. They're easily killed--you might do a search to learn a little about them. Don't use dishwashing liquid full strength, of course, and don't apply it diluted in full sun or in the heat of the day (those are my few rules for sprays). Most any spray will damage plant material if sprayed under those conditions--if I were to spray at all, I'd do it after sundown, and give the plant plenty of time to recoup.

You would be better off purchasing a commericial insecticidal soap spray. They are more effective at killing the target pests (not by suffication, by the way), with less chance of phytotoxity. Dish detergents can cause alot of foliage damage.

Make sure that the spray comes into contact with the pests, which means you will have to get the stuff under the leaves.

just blasting w/ a hose works as long as you don't blast the figs off the tree -- also, peaceful valley supply sells beneficial insects that eat white flies.

If you make your own insecticidal soap be sure you use soap not a detergent, which most "soaps" today are. A real soap, one made from animal fats, has fatty acids that aid in dissolving the insects exoskeleton which detergents do not and detergents tend to harm plants too.
Mix the soap 1 teaspoon per quart of water and be sure the target insect is hit since the soap spray has no residual affect.

The same pest problem was posted on the fig forum. Go check out that thread. In general it was though that the white fly causes little real damage and these fig guys know their figs ;o)
Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: white fly