Whitefly are Active

Have you noticed these tiny white flies around your shrubs or garden recently? What about black, sticky leaves?

1 adult whiteflies

2 sooty mold

The Azalea Whitefly (1) can cause significant damage to azaleas by feeding on the plant sap and secreting honeydew, which can lead to sooty mold development (2). Honeydew is that sticky stuff that coats not only leaves but nearby patio furniture, cars, windows. It is also produced by other plant pests including aphids and spotted lanternfly.

You can check for whitefly on azalea, Andromeda, rhododendron, ilex and mountain laurels by rustling the leaves early in the day. Little white critters will fly around and may be visible on the bottoms of leaves.

This pest can be a major problem if it’s infesting your plants but there are solutions available:

a. Maintain plant health by providing adequate water, nutrition, and proper sunlight. Healthy plants are better equipped to resist and recover from pest attacks.

b. Use a strong jet of water to dislodge whiteflies from plants.

c. Encourage natural predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps, which feed on whiteflies. Consider planting companion plants that attract these beneficial insects.

d. If infestations are severe, contact us for organic spray applications of insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils. In cases where plants are seriously suffering, compost tea fertilization may also be recommended.