Saturday, July 26, 2008

White Fly

White flies are small white flies, approximately 1/8 of an inch long. There are more then 1500 different species around the world. They extract the liquids contained inside a plant and in doing so promote mold growth. It also reproduces rapidly and can become a problem in a short period of time. They carry diseases and viruses and are a real problem in the agricultural world.

Here is a White Fly on a Trumpet Vine in my garden. If the picture will enlarge, you can get a better view.

White fly control is difficult as they rapidly gain resistance to chemical pesticides. Various companion plants will repel or trap white flies. Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Mint and Basil has a reputation for repelling them.

The Preying Mantis is a natural enemy to the white fly so if you see a Preying mantis in your garden, leave it be to do its job of eradicating your garden from White flies.

I have marigolds planted in the garden but they do not seem to be keeping the flies off my Trumpet Vine! Look at the white powdery mold growing on the stem.
White flies have been really bad in my garden here in Georgia this year. I wonder if our lack of rain fall has anything to do with that? Humm...

When I spot them, I usually just take my fingers and run them along the stem to remove the mold and fly. I also squash the fly in the process, that is, if it does not jump away. This particular type of white fly is a quick jumper. I am usually watering at the same time so as to remove the sticky mess from my fingers and the plant stem. Kind of gross but does the job without pesticides.


An Ivy plant on my front porch was infested with the little buggers also.

It looks as though powder has been poured onto wet stems. Can you spot the little liquid sucking culprit in this close up picture of the ivy leaf?

I welcome certain bugs into my garden such as the Lady bug but this WHITE FLY is one bug I do not welcome, In the Garden...

26 comments:

  1. I don't blame you Tina. White flies aren't welcome in my garden either. Yuck on the last photo.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good Morning Perennial gardener.
    These white flies are “yuck” and seem to be on everything in my garden this year! I dont like to use pesticides and I reckon they have just multiplied from lack of chemicals. I just do the best I can by hand as I spot them...

    ReplyDelete
  3. skeeter,

    I occasionally see them but not often...we have other plagues to deal with here! How quickly do they come back after you wash the webby white stuff off? I use the squish method, too. It's very effective if one's fast enough!

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yuck! Fortunately, I haven't noticed these, but then we have had a lot of rain here. But the rain can bring out other pests, too. Right now I'm fighting off Japanese beetles.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ewww! I sometimes get these in the houseplants in winter, but haven't noticed them in the garden. I would think you would have more white flies when there is plentiful rain, but maybe the plants are stressed due to not enough rain and that has made them prey to these bugs? Maybe that is why you are seeing so many? Not sure. They look pretty bad down there in Georgia and I hope they go away soon! We had two inches of rain yesterday. Such a welcomed sight! One of my gardening friends emailed me with the title YAHOO RAIN! We are so excited. Did you get some rain? It looked like they were headed your way. Gotta go find a frame for a mirror today. Wish me luck.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh my....Yuck is the word of the day. I don't blame you Skeeter for not wanting to use pesticides, a solution of garlic and water? Sure would keep the vamps away! lol

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good morning Gail,
    Once I remove the mildew, that is it for that infestation. If the fly gets away from squashing fingers, it will start another sucking process on another plant.

    Rose, luckily for me the Japanese Beetles were only been bad during one year in our yard. But, we do treat the grass for grubs to keep the moles away so that may be why we dont see the beetles much.

    Tina, they are little buggers and have been on houseplants in the past also. Nope, no rain! All around us they have pop up showers and we can’t seem to get anything put a few drops here. Calling for possible chance for the next week with high humidity so hopefully, we will get some moisture. If not, out comes the hose again. argggg

    Dawn, Yuck is the word of the day! I should have titled the posting "Yuck" lol... Garlic and onions are keeping me from the doctor! LOL, I need to go to throat doc as I am still having a little issue from the tonsillectomy. I will not make an apt when I have been eating garlic or onion! Yes, silly I know but he is a good doc and I dont want to run him off! I need to refrain from those smelly ingredients but I really do not know how to cook without them! LOL...

    Headed to fresh market so see yall later...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yep Jean, yuckey indeed! Hope you have a good day today...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I get this mess all over my muukydine vines ...I don't know what to dooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!

      Delete
    2. that white stuff is everywhere !!!!!!!!

      Delete
  9. You might try neem which is an organic insecticide. It has been used in India for centuries and you can find it in toothpaste so it is fairly safe. They sure are yucky!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Skeeter, Tina, Jean and all. I am between activities in PA and thought I'd try and catch up. Jean, your veggie garden is wonderful in so many ways, the plants, the soil, and all the loving help that went into making it. That's the best gardening story I have ever read. And you are quite a trooper to get in there yourself. I imagine myself in a wheelchair someday and now know that it will be possible to still dig in the dirt, even if our dirt is nowhere near as chocolate cakey as yours. Tina, I have no idea what that iris is, but think you should tag it somehow as one that reblooms. I know there is a white one, tall, named something like immortality that reblooms in the fall. My neighbors have some old ones that rebloom too, but they don't know the names. As for the whitefly, I add my own Yuck. Occasionally the orchids get it in the greenhouse in winter and like Layanee said, Neem is the cure. Time to start the beautification for the wedding, it takes a long time!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Layanee, never heard of neem. Thanks for the info... yep, yuck is the word....

    Frances, Yes, Jean does have a beautiful garden. I think it is even more beautiful due to it being a family project! I am only a mere 45 years young and can fill Mr. Arthur creeping into my bones so maybe I will invent some type of electric gardening chair some day! Hummm, the wheels they are a turning! France, have a glass of “before wedding” champagne and you will not need so much beautification time! Watch out for trains and table tops at the reception! LOL.

    It amazes me how flies and weeds seem to be in our life year round...

    Yuck…

    ReplyDelete
  12. Tina, did you find that mirror frame? Is this for the broken mirror? I'm still not standing next to Mr. Fixit for the next 7 years! LOL.

    My cat is snoring! Too funny....

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks a bunch Frances and Skeeter. That darn ole Mr Arthur is not such a friendly guy!! Frances I can walk some and do not use the chair in the house or the garden but use it to go back and forth as that Arthur meanie in my back does not allow me to do a lotta walking. I also use it to rest between jobs. However, it is possible to garden from them. I just choose not to as I try to do as much as I can so I will not be in it all the time.

    Skeeter if Frances has that before wedding glass the table top may look too good!!!

    Have fun Frances on or off the table top!!

    If people do not know what we are talking about, they HAVE to go read a good read on Frances's blog.

    Tina, did you get your book? Cause if you did'nt, for the price it cost I sure will call and complain!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mom, I surely got the book. Now if I can just get off here and focus! Two tests and two cases! Two more weeks then it is over! Onto a new term; which for me will mean to gardening. No more business and philosophy. Not my favorite thing at all.

    Skeeter, I took my now miniature antique mirror to a frame shop. Once the auto glass dealer got done cutting it, it was about 1/3 of its original size. Urrrrrr! I picked a super great frame; which will match the set in the room and look way better than the big wood frame it came in. Though that frame can be used elsewhere someday. We just love this mirror because it is stamped and dated. July 1969. It was made in the same area of NC my husband is from. But my $25 yard sale purchase is getting too expensive. It will be a keepsake one day though.

    Rose, Jap beetles are leaving from here pretty quickly if that helps.

    Frances, A bit of champagne for sure. I was about to email you to find out where you were. Gail has been slowing down a bit too. It is that time of year, last minute rush prior to school starting and relaxing days are here again. Dog days indeed. Hot as ..... here.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Skeeter- I must say that is one yucky bug. I hate what it's done to your ivy leaf. So sad! We have lots of mints around many of our vegetable plants, and I'm hoping that will keep these nasty critters away.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jean, I knew Tina had the book you should have asked me! LOL... Yep, the train and table talk will have to get a peek from Frances Blog for those not knowing what in the heck we are talking about. tee hee...

    Jean, I think you do well considering how mean Arthur can be. I am sure your positive attitude has a lot to do with that! Good for you!

    Tina, Hey Mr. Fixit was only sticking to his name. He was “fixing it” to make it smaller to work better! Ha ha... Yep, I cannot tell you how many inexpensive projects have turned into major expense before the final result! Oh well, as you said, an heirloom some day.... Now get off here and get your school work finished woman!

    DP, they are yucky little buggers! Once I remove the powered mold and bug, the plant is okay. But I have lost a few small house plants on the front porch due to the little jiuce sucking pests! Have I mentioned they are yucky? LOL...

    Lola, I got your note and will add your email address. So be looking for a test message from me… Thanks!

    Saint and I are couch and movie bound! Night all…

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks Skeeter. I do try. Think I over did it today as I stayed out 4 hours straight and sure do feel it now. But hopefully it will be worth it. Usually people up here try to have fresh peas for the 4th of July but I was so late getting my garden in. Just starting to get peas now. The radish are done so I may plant more this coming week. The beans have blooms on them. I have lotsa little cute watermelon and lotsa small tomatoes with many, many more blooms. I have 2 small, very small pumpkins so far.
    It is all very exciting!!!!!! Between taking care of my parents before they passed, kids and my darn back it has been over 10 years since I have had a garden at all. Never did get in any cabbage or onions and I always used to grow them, oh well, NEXT YEAR!!!! All thanks to the blog world. How great is that?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Skeeter --that bug is ugly --hope you can erradicate him from your garden haven. Hi Tina --hope you have your homework done --or no gardening for you young lady, hahaha:) Kind of like not letting boy 2 out to play if his homework isn't complete. Another hot but productive day for me --got the refrigerator/freezer cleaned up so I could go fill it with more food, lol. I cleaned up my bedroom closet and made a school supply area --so the kids can shop --it's kind of neat. One shelf with paper, another with glue, crayons, scissors. (all kinds of supplies) I'm so excited --they can come shop at my school supply shop --aka my side of the closet. Managed to trim some of those ugly thorn things from my yard and got more swimming in. Need to get some pictures in a book --have a great night.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yeh, yuck is the word. Skeeter have you tried to mist the little buggers with alcohol? It works for me. Or take a Q-tip with alcohol on it & apply it that way. I hate that stuff. Sticky. Looks awful.
    Most assuredly Tina that homework comes first. Weeds can wait a day or two. So can the redecorating.
    Jean you must take it easier. Your doing so good don't want to mess up a good thing. Sometimes a late garden does better.
    Anonymous where do you get your energy? I get tired just reading what you have in store for kiddos & yourself to do. I must admit if you keep them busy they won't have time to get into mischief. You go girl.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Mom, Garden sounds SO great!

    Anonymous, Can I bring the Jimster to shop?:)

    Lola, Still plugging away at it. Hopefully today I will be done for another week or so. Thanks for words of encouragement.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Lola --not sure where the energy comes from but I try to use it to keep the kids motivated and busy:0) Sometimes they get tired but most of the time I think they have more energy than me --just want to be a bit lazy, hahaha. Well, Tina --let me see --first my kiddos have to shop at my supply store --hehehe then you are welcome to bring the Jimster by:0) See ya later! It's already quite warm out and nice and sunny too:)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Jean, we are not getting much from our veggie garden but the things we have munched on were wonderful. Yep, all credit goes to Tina and this blog as I had no thoughts of a veggie Garden until all this blog chat. I just knew fighting off the critters would be an issued and so far not an issue but the drought has been.... argggg

    Anonymous, cleaning out the fridge and freezer were a great way to stay cool in this heat! LOL. I love the supply closet idea! When I was working in day care, the place was an old house and I kept all the children’s supplies in a closet! Thanks for bringing up that sweet memory!

    Lola, alcohol may work but that sounds like too much work when I can just squash them with my fingers! lol... I have always had white flies in this yard and fear they will always be here. But I stay on top of them so they do too much damage except for the small porch plants. I only water the porch about once a week and one week is all it takes for them to destroy a small plant. So I have to remind myself to keep an eye on the porch in between watering. Those kids keep Anonymous energy level high! If only we could bottle up energy to be used at another time. Ah, I would have a kid factory for energy and be rich! lol...

    I agree that you need to get that school work finished before you play Tina! Hang in there and knock it out one at a time and before you know it, it will all be behind you...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here is a link to a forum that might help you Janice: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hibisc/msg0800594218289.html

      Good luck!

      Delete

ALL SPAM WILL BE PROMPTLY FRIED. PLEASE DO NOT LIFT PHOTOS OR WORDS. THANKS!