.. yes Gem.. I think I started a white fly post ..It really did not get to much input.I still have quite a few and the sticky traps are no where to be found in Tucson.I decided yesterday >>its going to have to be a systemic insect KILLER.
I have let it go before and was SORRY.. so I will use the big guns!lol
I don't have ants yet.. but last time I waited to spray they arrived in droves.
let us know what action you decide on please.
Dian

Gem, there is a FAQ for whiteflies, however, I do believe it is of limited use in the treatment of whiteflies. The yellow sticky traps are more of an indicator that you have them instead of a cure. Ants are only there because they are attracted to honeydew that the whitefies are producing. Getting rid of the ants won't solve the problem either as they are only there because of the honeydew. They are not "harvested" like aphids. So what to do...

To gain a further understanding of the problem, you have to know why whiteflies are tought to get rid of. Whiteflies have a short life cycle 6-8 days. In this time they live to procreate, they and their larvae suck out the juices out of your plants, and then add the sooty mold (from the honeydew) to further weaken the plants. You have to be persistent with them as no solution is easy. You have several easy non toxic choices. Right now since you have them, I would suggest you use start spraying them off every day, twice a day. You have to do this for at least 2 weeks before you start seeing some results. You could also augment this by using insecticidal soap or a hydrogen peroxide solution (3 parts water to 1 part peroxide + a little dishsoap so it can stick to the leaves better) also on a daily basis.

Since the lifecycle of a whitefly is so short--by then they have laid eggs which will have hatched and produced more whiteflies--the cycle goes on. In their larvael stage, they are almost inductructible. You have to get them in their adult stage. By going after them for 2 weeks, you should be able to get rid of 3 generations of whiteflies.

Once you notice that the population has decreased, you can use water a couple times a week to control the population. To control the population in the future, underplant plants sensitive to whiteflies like tomatoes, hibiscus, and others with plants that attract beneficial insects. This method is called companion planting (I attached a link). This includes such plants as marigolds, sweet allysum, and dill among others. These plants help attract beneificial insects such as lacewings whose larvae devour whiteflies and other pests by the hundreds. Other plants actually repel certain pests so you don't have to worry about them in the future.

I prefer to let nature take care of the pest problem itself. It just takes a little planning beforehand and these problems will be taken care of for you. Beneficial insects and companion planting will do a great job in pest control if you give it a chance.

Good Luck and HTH

Here is a link that might be useful: Companion Planting

Thanks so much. I bought some insecticidal soap, and I will start trying to eradicate. I will check out the link and do some companion planting, which I need to, and want to do anyway. So, off I go to hose everything down...

Great link, Mr. Rat - thanks!

Lynn - the Nasturtiums mentioned are easy, great plants to grow from seed (and once you've grown them, you'll never need to be without seed!) and I think I saved some from last harvest, should you not get some before the swap. And bonus, they're totally edible - leaves, flowers, seeds and all.

You're welcome Ms. Cat.

One thing to add. There is a method of controlling pest populations using trap crops. Two plants, nasturniums and marigolds fit that bill. Nasturniums, while great for repelling whiteflies are also planted as aphid traps. Marigolds, OTOH, will repel whiteflies and aphids, but are attractive to mites. You sort of sacrifice some of them for your other prized plants. Both of these plants though will, attract other beneficial insects to control the bad guys. Other plants will attract whiteflies and repel aphids--you sort of get the picture.

Just don't be surprised when the plants you use to control some of the pests are now attractive to them. It is better there than your prized plants, at least, that is the way I look at it.

Good luck

.. thank you indeed Az desert Rat..I had looked at your previous post re: white flies in the archives here.Your response to Gem's woes however was much more detailed and lightbulbs came on for me.lol
so glad you took the few extra minutes to respond..its much appreciated..gardeners in Az ARE the best.
tyty, Dian

I can second the recommendation to use water to just wash them off. A sharp blast of water to the undersides of the leaves every day will do the trick. Works great for spidermites and aphids, too. You can get a Jet-All waterwand or just put your thumb over the end of the hose.

I'll third the recommendation to not use poison. I had massive white flies on watermelons one year. I poisoned them many times with malathion and they just bounce back in about a week. Water will flush them out and not kill their predator insects, which will work better in the long run.

I have massive white flies over my grass area. Will companion planting address this issue or is it something to do with the grass?