Whitefly.....newest pest at the farm.

Now Whiteflies......really? Normally around here you only see them in the greenhouses or on indoor plants. Likely blew in on the southern winds (yes, really) I have only found them in one area of my field, feeding on the Viburnum Americana aka American Cranberry. Clouds of them everyway. Cut a branch and hundreds fly off. They are very tiny and move quickly. They have a piercing mouth piece and harm plants by sucking out the juices. This feeding distorts the leaves, and can lead to diseases getting in. Whiteflies leave behind a substance called 'honeydew.' A sticky sweet substance that will eventually attract a secondary pest to feed on it! Where does it end? The secondary may be a beetle, wasp or ants that will actually 'farm' the whiteflies in exchange for the honeydew harvest. They may protect their eggs from other insect predators for future harvests. When ants farm aphids, they also protect the adult insect (who don't develop wings unless they are overcrowded) White flies are very mobile. The honeydew can also develop what is called 'Black Sooty.' or sooty mold. This can make plants unsightly. There are sprays and dusts you can use that are effective. Remember though, chemicls are usually only goos at one stage of the insects life, so you will likely need to reapply to get them all. Who is next? See what I find this week.