How to Kill Ficus Whitefly

A whitefly is a small insect resembling a tiny moth that can do major damage to your ficus trees. Its habit is to feed on ficus leaves and lay eggs on the undersides of the leaves. Once whiteflies have attacked your tree, the leaves will begin to fall and your tree may be irreparably damaged. The whitefly thrives in warmer climates and stays clear of cooler climates. If you find that your ficus is infected, all is not necessarily lost, provided that you combat the problem immediately.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Insect tape
• Insect spray
• Horticultural oil
• Insecticidal soap
• Systemic pesticide treatment

1. Remove the infected ficus leaves. Signs of infected leaves include a whitish substance, leaves that are yellow or contain black mold and visible eggs underneath the leaves.

2. Purchase insect tape from your local gardening shop. Hang the sticky tape from the branches of your ficus tree so the whitefly will get caught on it. Once the insect tape is full, remove it and hang a new strip.

3. Spray the leaves of your ficus tree with an insecticidal spray. Be sure to spray underneath the leaves and on the stem areas, along with the tops of the leaves, to achieve maximum results.

4. Spray the ficus leaves with a horticultural oil spray and insecticidal soap. The oil and soap can be purchased from your local garden supply store. Apply the treatment once per week for maximum results.

5. Contact a pest control specialist if the problem is advanced. Ask him to apply a systemic pesticide treatment to your ficus tree.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid using synthetic insecticides, such as diazinon, malathion, pyrethrum and rotenone. They will kill other insects such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps that prey on whiteflies.

References

• Naple Florida News: Defense Against Ficus Whiteflies
• Bonsai Society of Miami: New Exotic Ficus Whitefly
• Green Horizon Services: Ficus Whitefly Specialists