Whitefly
PEST
When it's active · UK
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Northern Italy
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Central Italy
JFMAMJJASOND
When it's active · Southern Italy and islands
JFMAMJJASOND
How to recognise it
Small white, moth-like insects that fly up in a cloud when a plant is disturbed, with sticky honeydew and sooty mould developing on leaves beneath.
Life cycle and conditions
Breeds fastest in warm greenhouse or indoor conditions, with a new generation possible every few weeks.
Prevention
Use yellow sticky traps to monitor and reduce numbers; avoid overcrowding plants.
How to treat it
🌿 ORGANIC · RECOMMENDED
Yellow sticky traps and a soap-based spray control most infestations; in a greenhouse, the biological parasitic wasp Encarsia formosa gives excellent long-term control and is completely safe for other wildlife.
🧪 CHEMICAL · IF YOU CHOOSE
A chemical insecticide is a last resort for persistent greenhouse infestations — it will also remove any parasitic wasps already working on your behalf, so try the biological route first.
PLANTS MOST AFFECTED
greenhouse plantshouseplantstender perennials overwintering under glass
IN THE CARE SHEETS
Fuchsia