How to Kill White Flies on Vegetables & Flowers

White flies damage gardens if not kept under control.

The white fly is not in the same family as the common house fly, even though it does have wings. It is similar to the aphid, excreting a sweet substance onto plant leaves as it sucks the sap from them. The sticky substance results in mold growth and discoloration, just like aphids cause. Getting rid of the white fly is difficult since these insects multiply quicker than you can kill them with pesticides. A few different methods are needed to help control the white fly population.

Things You'll Need

• Sticky fly traps
• Ladybugs
• Target-specific insect pesticide

Instructions

1. Set up sticky traps for the flies. A basic fly trap with sticky paper is needed. Hang them by a metal stake in between two plants. If populations are high, use one trap for every two plants. These traps will not kill them all, but will definitely help control the population.

2. Bring in and let loose the white fly's naturally enemy, the ladybug. These beneficial insects will not harm your vegetables or flowers, but will eat the white flies. Having the ladybugs in the garden should all but eliminate your problem. You can order ladybugs through a nursery.

3. Apply a systemic pesticide with the active ingredient imidacloprid to the ground. The pesticide is soaked up through the plant's roots. Follow directions on the package for application quantities. This type of insecticide will eventually come out in the plant's leaves, and when the flies eat the leaves, they will die. By using systemic pesticides, the chemicals only kill insects that are damaging to the plants, and not the beneficial insects of the garden. You may also try insecticide soaps, which are contact killers. They will kill the nymphs on contact, keeping future generations in check. Soaps come in a spray bottle that is sprayed directly on the nymphs.

References

• University of California: Pests in Gardens and Landscapes