A to Z of Pests

Greenhouse Whitefly

Trialeurodes vaporariorum

Appearance

• Adults – 1.5 – 3mm in length. They are white and resemble wedge–shaped moths.

Lifecycle

• The females lay eggs on the leaf surface which hatch 10 days.
• The newly hatched nymphs crawl over the surface of the leaf until they find a suitable place for feeding and settle. They remain there until pupation.
• They can live between 30 and 70 days.

Habits

• Adults are found on the younger leaves and deposit eggs in this level. Pupae and emerging adults are located at the lowest leaf level.
• They cause damage by sucking the sap from the plants.