spiral white fly???

2woodensticks · 10-14-2012, 09:24 AM

i have seen them on the underside of my bananas..all of them,some on my palms and on my upland cotton..anyone eles seeing this bug out there???do they do much damage???best way to treat???thanks

bananimal · 10-14-2012, 10:19 AM

BIG trouble!!!

To quote the Palm Beach Post ---------------The Rugose spiraling whitefly is wreaking havoc throughout Palm Beach County, damaging landscape plants and trees and leaving a sticky excrement called honeydew and its accompanying sooty mold on patios, walkways, outdoor furniture and vehicles.

This is the whole article with pic of banana leaf damage from our new pest.

Whiteflies hit Palm Beach County homeownersâ€™ trees, plants, pools | www.palmbeachpost.com

What the south Florida locals are saying.

Aggressive White Flies here: Rugose spiraling whitefly

Abnshrek · 10-14-2012, 11:18 AM

With us having a mild winter up here last year I hope that don't drift up here w/ all the plants getting shipped from down yonder. :^)

Gabe15 · 10-14-2012, 01:00 PM

Although I would bet it is a different species here and so this may not apply, whenever I have seen spiraling white fly on my bananas, they have caused no real damage. Sometimes the area of the leaf they are on will get a little yellow, but overall, the plant is totally unaffected and continues to grow just fine. If it got to the point where they were completely colonizing the undersides of every leaf, that might cause a problem, but a couple small colonies here and there are not anything to worry about in my opinion.

Occasionally they can be problematic on young plants in the greenhouse though, and in those cases I have used ethanol and a paper towel to spray them and wipe them off with good results.

bananimal · 10-14-2012, 01:18 PM

For those who don't want to use expensive systemics here is an organic approach. Eggs hatch Encarsia Formosa wasps that eat or parisitize the white flies. The parisitized flys will host the wasp eggs and a new Encarsia generation will attack the white flys. Check this out ----------------

Greenhouse Whitefly Parasite (Encarsia formosa) - 1,000

Would be great if something like this worked on squirrels.

brothertom2020 · 10-14-2012, 06:51 PM

Yo: Methinks, I would grab some local insecticide from Walmart or one of the big box stores and start knocking them down. Or try some Neem Oil in a Squirt Bottle, about 1/2 ounce in a 12-16 oz. bottle...use warm/hot water to mix! Neem is thick like pancake syrup, add a couple drops of dish soap as well, it works as a spreader!

Give'm Hell...Tom

brothertom2020 · 10-14-2012, 11:28 PM

Yo Bananimal: Go get a adult pellet rifle, in .17 or .22 caliber with a scope. I have been taking pots at them all damn year! They dig out my new seedlings, and plant nuts all over my yard, gardens and grow boxes. Then I have to dig them up when they sprout! We nailed a few last year and noticed a slight reduction in population this year. Also works for rats!

Quiet enough the neighbors won't hear ya and call the cops! :-o Tom

bananimal · 10-15-2012, 12:01 AM

Hi Tom ---- for those folks that have squirrels out the whazoo the best way to go is KANIA!

Squirrel traps, mink traps, rat traps, and other small pest traps

Traps real good, lasts a long time.

orinoko · 10-15-2012, 02:38 AM

Sounds a nasty bug indeed,

I found this link but nothing from Wikipedia as yet..

Carol Cloud Bailey: New species of whitefly heading making its way to South Florida » TCPalm.com

Nicolas Naranja · 10-15-2012, 11:09 AM

I haven't seen any in the Glades, although my bananas generally have a rather robust natural predator population that keeps things under control.

PR-Giants · 10-15-2012, 08:55 PM

How large is the gecko population in Florida?
On my farm the population is in the millions and it is rare to even see an insect on any surface during the day. If an insect is uncovered while I'm digging, it is gone in a few seconds. This might seem crazy to some people but I have many tanks for breeding maggots to ensure I mantain a large population. In some cases a free lunch can be a positive thing. I don't know much about white fly but if it can't get airborne in a fraction of a second it will be lunch. I have never seen a gecko catch a honeybee but they try and will chase them from flower to flower.

JCA433 · 06-02-2013, 11:18 PM

I have spiral white fly on my banana plants and today I applied Bayer FCV insecticide to eliminate this problem. This white fly seem to prefer avocado and banana plants. There is some infestation on mango but not much and none on papaya. Hopefully imidacloprid will not change the taste of the bananas.

bananimal · 06-03-2013, 12:05 AM

Do you have any coconut palms or xmas palms? If so they will be toast. They are the number 1 and 2 go-to snack foods for the rugose spiriling white fly. If you do then yank them all out. They are bringing in the fly on your bananas. I don't see them yet. And I'm stuck with 4 mats of xmas palm which keep choking. Have to peel away oldest leaves before they fall off naturally the choking thing is so bad.

sloot95 · 06-03-2013, 02:45 AM

I am yet to shake the spiraling white fly in my back yard. I have tried various pesticides which end up being no better than detergent water solution. Ive given up and just let them live. I now see lots of small spiders and various bugs climbing all over the leaves hopefully keeping them under control. Good luck getting rid of them.

bananimal · 06-03-2013, 07:59 AM

Professional exterminators have the only stuff and techniques that have some effect. For palms they drill holes in the trunk and inject a systemic insecticide. This has to be done repeatedly. Also expensive. I'll yank them out first.

I'm like Jon Pitangodiegeo is with grass regarding my ornamental palms. Replace them with cement --- or something that fruits. lol

2woodensticks · 06-03-2013, 10:51 AM

I found that 1/2 cup cooking or mineral oil,tablespoon of dish soap,1 tablespoon diatomaceous earth,1 teaspoon cinnamon in a gallon and a half of water, it does not kill on contact but it does suffocate slowly and the fine dust left behind from the DE keeps them from coming back..also helps for leaf notcher,white weevil here in florida.. I spray 2wice a month

JCA433 · 06-03-2013, 11:32 AM

I spray insecticidal soap on plants infested with spiral white fly and it works for a short time and thereafter you must spray again. Insecticidal soap advantage is that it is nontoxic to other insects that may feed on white flys.

10-14-2012, 09:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
2woodensticks PURA VIDA!! Location: close to tampa florida Find me on the map! Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 697 BananaBucks : 46,394 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 421 Times Was Thanked 469 Times in 286 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 310 Times	spiral white fly??? i have seen them on the underside of my bananas..all of them,some on my palms and on my upland cotton..anyone eles seeing this bug out there???do they do much damage???best way to treat???thanks __________________ got to love em..{neotropical rattlesnake..cascabell}

10-14-2012, 10:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 573,083 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? BIG trouble!!! To quote the Palm Beach Post ---------------The Rugose spiraling whitefly is wreaking havoc throughout Palm Beach County, damaging landscape plants and trees and leaving a sticky excrement called honeydew and its accompanying sooty mold on patios, walkways, outdoor furniture and vehicles. This is the whole article with pic of banana leaf damage from our new pest. Whiteflies hit Palm Beach County homeownersâ€™ trees, plants, pools \| www.palmbeachpost.com What the south Florida locals are saying. Aggressive White Flies here: Rugose spiraling whitefly Last edited by bananimal : 10-14-2012 at 10:25 AM. Reason: local buzz

10-14-2012, 11:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
Abnshrek Happy Growing Abnshrek 's Photo Gallery Location: Beaumont Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b, but 9b weather.. Name: Migael / Michael Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 9,493 BananaBucks : 217,244 Feedback: 45 / 100% Said "Thanks" 10,447 Times Was Thanked 16,443 Times in 5,238 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,318 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? With us having a mild winter up here last year I hope that don't drift up here w/ all the plants getting shipped from down yonder. :^) __________________ I'm a Nannerhead :^)

10-14-2012, 01:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,349,793 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,241 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? Although I would bet it is a different species here and so this may not apply, whenever I have seen spiraling white fly on my bananas, they have caused no real damage. Sometimes the area of the leaf they are on will get a little yellow, but overall, the plant is totally unaffected and continues to grow just fine. If it got to the point where they were completely colonizing the undersides of every leaf, that might cause a problem, but a couple small colonies here and there are not anything to worry about in my opinion. Occasionally they can be problematic on young plants in the greenhouse though, and in those cases I have used ethanol and a paper towel to spray them and wipe them off with good results. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

10-14-2012, 01:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 573,083 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? For those who don't want to use expensive systemics here is an organic approach. Eggs hatch Encarsia Formosa wasps that eat or parisitize the white flies. The parisitized flys will host the wasp eggs and a new Encarsia generation will attack the white flys. Check this out ---------------- Greenhouse Whitefly Parasite (Encarsia formosa) - 1,000 Would be great if something like this worked on squirrels.

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10-14-2012, 06:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
brothertom2020 Location: Portland, OR. USA Find me on the map! Zone: 7b-8a Name: Tom Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 69 BananaBucks : 8,611 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,664 Times Was Thanked 66 Times in 44 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 62 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? Yo: Methinks, I would grab some local insecticide from Walmart or one of the big box stores and start knocking them down. Or try some Neem Oil in a Squirt Bottle, about 1/2 ounce in a 12-16 oz. bottle...use warm/hot water to mix! Neem is thick like pancake syrup, add a couple drops of dish soap as well, it works as a spreader! Give'm Hell...Tom

10-14-2012, 11:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
brothertom2020 Location: Portland, OR. USA Find me on the map! Zone: 7b-8a Name: Tom Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 69 BananaBucks : 8,611 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,664 Times Was Thanked 66 Times in 44 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 62 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? Yo Bananimal: Go get a adult pellet rifle, in .17 or .22 caliber with a scope. I have been taking pots at them all damn year! They dig out my new seedlings, and plant nuts all over my yard, gardens and grow boxes. Then I have to dig them up when they sprout! We nailed a few last year and noticed a slight reduction in population this year. Also works for rats! Quiet enough the neighbors won't hear ya and call the cops! :-o Tom

10-15-2012, 12:01 AM	#8 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 573,083 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? Hi Tom ---- for those folks that have squirrels out the whazoo the best way to go is KANIA! Squirrel traps, mink traps, rat traps, and other small pest traps Traps real good, lasts a long time.

10-15-2012, 02:38 AM	#9 (permalink)
orinoko orinoko's Photo Gallery Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 430 BananaBucks : 23,291 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 633 Times Was Thanked 517 Times in 230 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 26 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? Sounds a nasty bug indeed, I found this link but nothing from Wikipedia as yet.. Carol Cloud Bailey: New species of whitefly heading making its way to South Florida » TCPalm.com __________________ [url="http://flowersnpalms.com/lancalass/[/URL]

10-15-2012, 11:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
Nicolas Naranja Muck bananas Nicolas Naranja 's Photo Gallery Location: Pahokee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Nick Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2,217 BananaBucks : 475,336 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 66 Times Was Thanked 5,665 Times in 1,563 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? I haven't seen any in the Glades, although my bananas generally have a rather robust natural predator population that keeps things under control. __________________ Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

10-15-2012, 08:55 PM	#11 (permalink)
PR-Giants Commercial Grower Location: Florida & Greater Antilles Find me on the map! Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4,616 BananaBucks : 569 Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,927 Times Was Thanked 12,649 Times in 3,693 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3,215 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? How large is the gecko population in Florida? On my farm the population is in the millions and it is rare to even see an insect on any surface during the day. If an insect is uncovered while I'm digging, it is gone in a few seconds. This might seem crazy to some people but I have many tanks for breeding maggots to ensure I mantain a large population. In some cases a free lunch can be a positive thing. I don't know much about white fly but if it can't get airborne in a fraction of a second it will be lunch. I have never seen a gecko catch a honeybee but they try and will chase them from flower to flower. __________________ PR-Giants Photo Gallery 15,000+ Varieties Last edited by PR-Giants : 10-15-2012 at 08:58 PM.

06-02-2013, 11:18 PM	#12 (permalink)
JCA433 Location: Homestead, Florida Zone: Zone 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 330 BananaBucks : 86,322 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 433 Times in 162 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 4 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? I have spiral white fly on my banana plants and today I applied Bayer FCV insecticide to eliminate this problem. This white fly seem to prefer avocado and banana plants. There is some infestation on mango but not much and none on papaya. Hopefully imidacloprid will not change the taste of the bananas.

06-03-2013, 12:05 AM	#13 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 573,083 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? Do you have any coconut palms or xmas palms? If so they will be toast. They are the number 1 and 2 go-to snack foods for the rugose spiriling white fly. If you do then yank them all out. They are bringing in the fly on your bananas. I don't see them yet. And I'm stuck with 4 mats of xmas palm which keep choking. Have to peel away oldest leaves before they fall off naturally the choking thing is so bad. Last edited by bananimal : 06-03-2013 at 12:16 AM.

06-03-2013, 02:45 AM	#14 (permalink)
sloot95 Location: Australia, Townsville Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 86 BananaBucks : 15,770 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 47 Times Was Thanked 71 Times in 27 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 9 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? I am yet to shake the spiraling white fly in my back yard. I have tried various pesticides which end up being no better than detergent water solution. Ive given up and just let them live. I now see lots of small spiders and various bugs climbing all over the leaves hopefully keeping them under control. Good luck getting rid of them.

06-03-2013, 07:59 AM	#15 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 573,083 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? Professional exterminators have the only stuff and techniques that have some effect. For palms they drill holes in the trunk and inject a systemic insecticide. This has to be done repeatedly. Also expensive. I'll yank them out first. I'm like Jon Pitangodiegeo is with grass regarding my ornamental palms. Replace them with cement --- or something that fruits. lol

06-03-2013, 10:51 AM	#16 (permalink)
2woodensticks PURA VIDA!! Location: close to tampa florida Find me on the map! Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 697 BananaBucks : 46,394 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 421 Times Was Thanked 469 Times in 286 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 310 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? I found that 1/2 cup cooking or mineral oil,tablespoon of dish soap,1 tablespoon diatomaceous earth,1 teaspoon cinnamon in a gallon and a half of water, it does not kill on contact but it does suffocate slowly and the fine dust left behind from the DE keeps them from coming back..also helps for leaf notcher,white weevil here in florida.. I spray 2wice a month __________________ got to love em..{neotropical rattlesnake..cascabell}

06-03-2013, 11:32 AM	#17 (permalink)
JCA433 Location: Homestead, Florida Zone: Zone 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 330 BananaBucks : 86,322 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 433 Times in 162 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 4 Times	Re: spiral white fly??? I spray insecticidal soap on plants infested with spiral white fly and it works for a short time and thereafter you must spray again. Insecticidal soap advantage is that it is nontoxic to other insects that may feed on white flys.

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