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White fly

Are there more than one type of white fly.

I have a heavy infestation in my polytunnel of small white flies. They do not however fit in to the description often given. i.e. they do not all jump up in a cloud if i shake the leaves, they just sit there doing nothing!

Are these some other kind of pest - either way they're a right pain, I've never experienced such a heavy infestation as I've got this year - aphids and white fly.

Don't want to use chemicals, espically under cover where there is no rain, so am trying ladybird larvae, but the've got a lot of work to do if theyre going to make much of an impact.

Posts

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    Are you sure they are not the dried skins of thr aphids? They look awfully like small white flies.

  • BriggsyBriggsy Posts: 71

    They seriously outnumber the aphids probably 100 to 1, and the ladybird larvae seem to find them attractive so I don't think so, but will get the magnifiying glass out to be certain.

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    It is only that our Hellebores are covered in these tiny white skins and the really do look like white fly, but aphid skin is what they are.

     

  • BriggsyBriggsy Posts: 71

    Thanks you very much Berghill, just goes to show the power of a little observation!

    I have inspected the 'whitefly' closely and there is definately no signs of life......that's clearly why they do not leap up into a cloud when disturbed!

     

    What threw me is that they seemed to be on the tops of the leaves whilst the aphids were lurking below....................explanation is that the ants which have set up the aphid farms so prolificaly this year are carrying out good housekeeping and are carting off the skins and leaving them elsewhere.

    Clearly to deal with the aphids I need to deal with the ants.

    Thanks for your help.

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    Pleasure.

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