Small white flies on indoor plants and in the garden are just annoying. We reveal which home remedies help and how you can fight whiteflies naturally and biologically.
The term "whitefly" is a trivial name for various whiteflies from the family Aleyrodidae. Like the aphids, they are counted among the plant lice. The two most important pests known as “whitefly” in home gardens are the diamondback whitefly (Aleurodes proletella) and the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum).These two Common whiteflies have many things in common, such as a similar appearance and life cycle. But there are also some differences, which we will show you in this article using the correct species names.
White Fly: Wanted Poster
Not surprisingly, the whitefly is better known as the whitefly. These are small, white-powdered flies, about two millimeters in size. Due to their rapid reproduction, they are just as much feared pests as aphids. From the egg through several larval stages to the reproductive fly, it only takes a few weeks if the temperatures are favourable. This rapid development results in several generations of whiteflies during the growing season, which lay many new eggs every day.
The most damage is caused by the larvae. Like aphids, they extract plant sap from the host plants. The valuable proteins are filtered out of the plant sap and most of the carbohydrate-rich phloem juice is excreted again in the form of honeydew. Honeydew sticks the leaves together and provides a perfect breeding ground for sooty mold fungi. These hinder the plant's photosynthesis by growing on the honeydew-stained leaves without penetrating the plant. Furthermore, the whitefly can also be a carrier for plant viruses if it has recently suckled on a virus-infected wild plant, for example. These plant viruses are partly very harmful to the plant, partly reduce themsimply their beauty - and unfortunately cannot be combated.
Often, the infestation with the whitefly and its nutrition at the expense of the plant is not the biggest problem. Rather, sooty mold or viral diseases can cause much greater damage. The main infestation times are late summer and autumn, since large populations are already at work at this time. In warm early summers, the infestation is shifted forward.
How to recognize the damage caused by the whitefly
To spot whiteflies, one must inspect the underside of leaves on potential host plants. Because both adult animals and larvae sit well hidden on the underside of the leaf and the eggs are also laid there. A characteristic feature of the white-yellow eggs of the white fly is that they are deposited in a ring on the underside of the leaf. After hatching, the whitish to yellow-green-brownish larvae are mobile at first, in later larval stages they then settle like pocks. Flies about two millimeters in size as well as various larval stages and eggs can often be found on the underside of the leaf. When the plant is touched, the adult insects fly away in an arc. The small insects are encased in wax dust. Therefore, another sign of an infestation is the white dust on plant parts, potting soil and of course the small white insects. A sticky coating indicates honeydew excretion − if it turns black, sooty mold fungi have already settled.
You can recognize a whitefly infestation by the following symptoms:
- Two millimeter white winged insects
- Ring-shaped deposition of white-yellow eggs on the underside of the leaf
- White dust on plant parts or potting soil
- Sticky coating on the leaves and any sooty mold on them
These plants attack the white pests
Commonly referred to as whitefly, whitefly species prefer a variety of host plants. In our gardens, most damage occurs to tomatoes and brassicas.
White fly on cabbage
The cabbage whitefly infests all brassicas. Cauliflower, broccoli, savoy cabbage, green and Brussels sprouts are particularly popular. The adult flies can hibernate on Brussels sprouts and then quickly build up new populations in the spring. But that tooRemoving cabbages over the winter does not guarantee that whiteflies will not appear the next year. In winter, adult whitefly find other cruciferous plants (Brassicaceae), such as winter oilseed rape, to overwinter.
Whitefly on tomatoes
Tomatoes are attacked by whiteflies much more frequently in greenhouses than outdoors. The warm, humid conditions in the greenhouse are particularly ideal for the greenhouse whitefly. They are not picky and infest a wide variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini.
Whitefly on indoor plants
The greenhouse whitefly likes to attack indoor plants. The evenly warm temperatures and the lack of predators give these whiteflies ideal conditions for reproduction in the home. The whitefly targets various indoor plants, but the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is particularly common.
Fight Whitefly
A heavy whitefly infestation can severely damage the laboriously planted and tended vegetables in the home garden. Both the damage caused by sucking the plant sap and the infestation of sooty mold fungi and the spread of viruses can only be reduced by controlling whitefly.
Biological control of whiteflies
Whiteflies are an annoying plant parasite, but synthetic pesticides are not necessary to combat them. Especially in the home garden and in the apartment, we always recommend choosing a biological method.
Neem-based preparations are an environmentally friendly and very effective way of fighting whiteflies. The neem oil from the seeds of the neem tree contains the active ingredient azadirachtin, which is absorbed by the insects when sucking on the plant. The larvae of the whiteflies are prevented from developing by Neem preparations and the whiteflies disappear. Our Plantura organic pest-free neem is based on this highly effective and purely plant-based active ingredient from the neem tree. The active ingredient is absorbed by the insects when sucking and ensures that they quickly stop sucking. The agent is simply mixed with water and the emulsion sprayed onto infested plants with a spray bottle. Precise information on the dosage and application of organic pest-free neem can be found on the product packaging. With Plantura organic pest-free neem you can also successfully use other biting, leaf-mining andNaturally combat sucking insects such as aphids. Our organic pest-free neem can be used both in the home and in the garden and is also not dangerous for bees. Please note that our organic pest-free neem must be used exactly as specified in the application recommendation in order to rule out undesirable effects.
Summary: Control whitefly biologically
- Mix organic pest-free neem with water according to the package insert
- Spray emulsion with spray bottle on affected plant
- Young shoots are protected by the systemic effect and do not have to be treated afterwards
- Whiteflies are completely killed after two weeks at the latest
In addition, agents based on rapeseed oil or orange oil can be used to combat whiteflies. The oil prevents the insects from getting enough oxygen and causes them to die off. Canola oil supplements also kill eggs that have come into contact with the oil. However, some soft-walled plant leaves don't do well with these remedies.
Home remedies for whiteflies
If you have a mild whitefly infestation, you can also use home remedies. A commonly used home remedy for plant lice is nettle broth. Since whiteflies belong to the plant lice, nettle brew can also be used against them. Here, 500 grams of fresh nettles are brewed with five liters of boiling water. The cold liquid can then be sprayed onto the affected plant several times a day.
Soapy water made from 30 grams of potash soap or 200 milliliters of soft soap in one liter of water can also be applied to the affected plant several times a day. We recommend covering the soil around the infested plant with a thick cloth so that not too much soap gets into the soil.
Further control options for whiteflies
Synthetic pesticides are also available to control whiteflies. Active ingredients such as acetamiprid not only damage whiteflies, but unfortunately also beneficial insects in your garden, which is why we recommend natural measures. Plant protection products against whiteflies can also contain vegetable pyrethrins. However, these active ingredients are also harmful to beneficial organisms. Thereforewe advise against using them.
Yellow glue boards are another environmentally friendly measure in the event of a slight infestation. These can be placed near infested plants and their yellow color attracts the whiteflies, which stick to the boards. However, you should only use the yellow glue traps indoors or in a greenhouse, as the yellow color can also attract bees or other useful insects, which would then also stick. Basically, however, yellow boards serve more to identify insects at an early stage than to combat them and are only sufficient in a few cases.
Successfully control whitefly:
- Neem oil-based products are effective and environmentally friendly, such as our Plantura organic pest-free neem
- Preparations based on rapeseed oil are suitable for hard-leaved plants
- Home remedies such as nettle broth and soapy water can help with a mild infestation
- Yellow glue boards can help with a light infestation in the interior or indicate the infestation
Prevention of whitefly
You can prevent an infestation by whiteflies with a few tricks: Whiteflies are attracted by the smell of some plants - for example thyme (Thymus), basil ( Ocimum basilicum), sage (Salvia officinalis) and marigolds (Tagetes) - expelled. You can take advantage of this and place plants that have already been infested next to these plants that give off their scent. You can also plant flowering native wild herbs such as chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris) in your garden. These flowering herbs attract beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that fight whiteflies. Our Plantura Beneficial Magnet is a seed mixture with plants that promote beneficial insects and offers you the opportunity to promote beneficial insects in your garden in a simple way.
Both outdoors and indoors, an optimal supply of nutrients to your plants is important so that pests don't have an easy time of it. Plant-specific fertilizers will help you meet your plant's nutritional needs. We recommend that you pay attention to a good potassium and calcium supply for stable cell walls and to fertilize organic nitrogen, which is gradually released. Our Plantura organic fertilizers enable you to fertilize outdoors and indoors according to your needs.
Especially effective in the living rooma light and well-ventilated spot for your plants to prevent whitefly infestation. This enables them to grow vigorously and increase their resilience.
Summary: Preventing Whitefly
- Insert strongly scented plants in the immediate vicinity
- Promote beneficial insects in the garden
- Optimum nutrient supply for plants
- Indoors bright and well ventilated location for he althy plants
You can find more natural remedies against annoying plant pests in our shop for plant protection & insect repellent.