WHAT IS THE  WHITE FLY AND DAMAGES THAT PRODUCE.

 

  The white fly insects are small, about 2mm. When adults, they have white triangular wings, covered by a dusty wax.

White flies lay eggs on the back of the leaf

   It is a very important and very difficult to control pest because the white flies attack the plants debilitating the leaf, when  injuring the leaf in order to pierce the plant; they place themselves on the back of the leaf and using a stalk they get to the substratum. That's why there is a smaller amount of nutrients for the plant, a smaller development and falling leaves.

This insect is so small that it gets easily mistaken for something else; so others insecticides might be applied.

   Apart from the direct damage caused by the white fly there are also indirect damages, the ones produced by fungi, bacteria and viruses which means that the plant should be treated with certain chemicals that can be harmful to our home and environment. 

    Originally the white fly is an insect from  North America, South Asia and Africa, although in in Spain appeared in 1968 at first in the province of Malaga and then it spread across the citrus trees area around year 1971. Its cycle develops during summer time, but due to our Mediterranean climate it could develop all the year round.

   Controlling and exterminating this insect is somewhat complicated because of their reproduction potential and of their  cycles or phases, which are four: egg, larvae, sore and adult.

Some white fly species form long filaments where females lay the eggs

 This fly's laid eggs are fertilized by the male on the same leaf and they last about 9 days; then they become larvae coming together in a circle around the leaf. When they become sore, they've got legs, no wings, and it is when they most spread around, because the wind or whatever watering object can change their position to another plant. When adult, the male is the one who dedicates to fly about the plant and the female dedicates to look for new places for the next layings.

The adult flies always flutter around the eggs

   The white fly cycle is very short, from egg to adult it requires about 28 days, so that in one season occur several generations.

If you want to read our other articles on flies, mosquitoes and wasps exterminator as well as some curiosities about these flying insects, 

click below.