How to permanently get rid of the whitefly on indoor flowers. How to get rid of whiteflies at home Folk remedies for whiteflies. How to quickly and effectively destroy the whitefly on indoor flowers: the most effective whitefly remedies for rooms

This harmful insect with white wings can cause great damage not only to crops, but also to many houseplants. The whitefly looks like a small butterfly (Photo), 1.5 to 3 millimeters in length, which is capable of unusually fast reproduction, in addition, it is able to migrate over considerable distances. The insect is not afraid of medium frosts and easily endures winter in the ground, in greenhouses, houses and apartments. The main food of the whitefly is the juice that it sucks from the leaves. If you do not take timely measures against the pest, then the development of the houseplant will be slowed down, and in some cases it may die.

Before you start fighting the whitefly on indoor plants, you need to find it. This is not at all difficult to do, you just need to show some observation. If you notice that small white butterflies are flying over the tubs with your flowers, then it's time to take urgent action. We recommend that you carefully examine the undersides of the leaves. It is there that the whitefly lays eggs, from which larvae will appear in speed (Photo). It should be noted that the insect harms not only by sucking juices from plants. It is much worse that the larvae cover the leaves with secretions of their vital activity. In this layer, fungi form, which interrupt the process of photosynthesis. As you understand, in this case, the death of the plant occurs.

To date, there is no universal remedy that can completely destroy or drive away the whitefly from indoor plants. An effective fight against this insect is possible only with complete measures, which include the prevention of infection of plants, their treatment with folk and agrochemical means.

Prevention of whitefly

Like any living organism, the whitefly prefers comfortable living conditions (high humidity and temperatures above 10 0 C). Preventive measures to combat the whitefly are aimed at creating conditions under which the pest will die, leave your garden, greenhouse, room, or be unable to reproduce and develop. It should be borne in mind that the adult and its larvae die already at temperatures close to zero degrees, but the laid eggs feel comfortable at much lower temperatures.

• Remove fallen leaves and stems in a timely manner - it is on them that the largest number of insect larvae and eggs are located;
• Disinfect the soil under the plant regularly. As a rule, whitefly offspring are found in the upper soil balls;
• Monitor the humidity of the air in the house, you should not water the plants before the top ball of soil dries out;
• Do not allow your pets to thicken the plantings. Your flowers and ornamental plants should be well ventilated, open windows from time to time or take them outside;
• Fertilize in a timely manner, special attention should be paid to a sufficient amount of minerals such as potassium and phosphorus;
• Disinfect the inventory with which you work with your green spaces, keep the gloves clean;
• When planting roses, fuchsias, violets and other flowers in tubs, check them for whitefly larvae and eggs and destroy them if found;
• As a preventive measure, place whitefly traps. They can be made from colored paper or polycarbonate (preferably yellow or blue) and coated with a sticky substance, some gardeners use Vaseline (Photo). Also, such traps can be purchased at specialized stores. In their reviews, gardeners and gardeners recommend hanging glue traps Pheromon, Bona Forte, ARGUS.

Folk methods for dealing with whitefly

As noted above, today many recipes have been developed for the destruction and repelling of whiteflies with folk remedies. Most are easy to prepare, non-toxic, and require little to no investment.

Dandelion infusion. One of the fairly effective means in the fight against whiteflies on indoor plants has proven to be dandelion infusion. This grass grows in many gardens, in parks, on roadsides - so everyone can collect 100-200 grams of grass. However, dandelion is also sold in ordinary pharmacies, as it is used for medical purposes. The plant in the place with the stem and rhizome is thoroughly washed and crushed. We weigh 80 grams, that's how much herbs are needed per liter of hot water. The resulting solution is infused for 100 - 120 hours, then filtered. The tool is ready to use. We carry out repeated processing of plants with an interval of 6-7 days.

25240896 - foraged edible dandelions flowers and greens with jar of dandelion preserve

Garlic. Well protects indoor plants from whiteflies ordinary garlic. You can use it in the fight against harmful insects in a dry form, or in the form of an infusion.

When a whitefly appears, chop the garlic cloves and place them under the houseplant. Which then wrap with cellophane film for several hours - adult insects will die during this time or try to escape. To prepare the infusion, take 3-4 cloves of garlic, chop it on a grater or under pressure. Pour the garlic mass with a liter of hot water and infuse for 36-48 hours. Before using the infusion, it should be filtered. To achieve maximum effect, spray 2-3 times with an interval of 5-6 days.

Infusion of wood ash. To combat the whitefly on houseplants, many flower growers use ordinary ash. This is an environmentally friendly and quite effective remedy, in addition, the ashes contain trace elements necessary for the normal development of your flowers.

The infusion has a simple recipe for preparation that does not take much time and unnecessary effort. Pour one glass of wood ash (preferably softwood) with five liters of hot water. The agent is infused for at least 4-5 hours or until completely cooled. The resulting mixture must be filtered and about 50 grams of liquid soap added to the liquid. You can now treat infected flowers and other houseplants.

Tobacco. Another plant that can be used to control whiteflies, both dry and in the form of an infusion. Take some tobacco or shag dust and sprinkle it in a tub around your flowers, wrap them in plastic wrap for a few hours.

To prepare a tobacco infusion, buy 50 grams of tobacco or gut a pack of strong cigarettes. Pour tobacco with one liter of hot water and infuse for 5-6 days. After that, it is necessary to strain the liquid and you can start spraying the flowers. Processing of indoor plants is carried out 2-3 times a day, for 3-4 days.

Infusion of yarrow. A popular medicinal plant that has been successfully used to control whiteflies on houseplants. To prepare the infusion, you can use fresh grass or buy dry yarrow in a pharmacy. The infusion is prepared in the ratio of 90 grams of fresh (30 grams of dry) yarrow per liter of hot water. The resulting mixture must be insisted for 36-48 hours. Spraying of plants is carried out several times, with an interval of 5-6 days.

Ammonia. You can use this remedy provided that your plants are not in a residential area. In addition, make sure that pure alcohol does not get on the stems, leaves or flowers - this will lead to the death of green spaces. To prepare the solution, pour one tablespoon of ammonia into a bucket of water (nine liters), after which we thoroughly stir the liquid and proceed to the treatment of plants. Spraying can be done no more than three times, with an interval of 7-8 days.

Agrochemicals

First of all, it should be understood that the use of chemicals in residential areas should be done with extreme caution. Some chemicals should not be used in houses, apartments or offices at all, as this can cause significant harm to people's health.

Spark Golden. The insecticide is designed to kill a wide range of pests, it can be used both outdoors and indoors. The drug practically does not emit a smell, it is absolutely safe for people, warm-blooded animals and plants. When preparing the mixture, the use of chlorinated water is unacceptable, in which case the active ingredients of the insecticide lose their effectiveness. Iskra Zolotaya can be used both for preventive purposes and in the fight against a large number of whiteflies and their larvae. In residential premises, no more than three sprayings are allowed per season.

Akarin
Iskra Golden

Agravertin. The insecticide does not pose any threat to humans and does not emit an unpleasant odor, but at the same time it is able to effectively control a wide range of pests, including the whitefly. For the treatment of indoor plants, prepare a mixture based on the proportion: 5 milliliters of Agravertin per 2.5 liters of water. Spray the plant thoroughly and place it in full sun (not direct sunlight) until completely dry. After a week, inspect the leaves, if you find a whitefly, re-treat the plants.

Fitoverm. The drug belongs to the fourth class of toxicity, that is, it practically does not pose a threat to warm-blooded animals and humans. At the same time, it can harm bees and other beneficial animals - consider this factor if you breed encarsia in a greenhouse. Insectoacaricide refers to chemicals of contact-intestinal action, with direct contact with the drug, the whitefly dies within 6-8 hours, the protection period in enclosed spaces: 18-20 days.

Fitoverm
Aktara

Aktara. The contact-intestinal insecticide is used in the fight against a wide range of pests, it is able to effectively control the whitefly. The product can be used both for spraying plants and for soil treatment. We recommend using this insecticide when planting tubers or seedlings to disinfect the land in tubs or greenhouses. Aktara has a number of important advantages over other insecticides. Firstly, it does not emit a smell and does not pose a threat to humans. The second advantage is the fact that the drug does not accumulate in the fruit. Thirdly, Aktara spreads through the systems of the plant: it can be used simply for watering the soil - the drug will rise through the plant to the very top.

Confidor. The insecticide is excellent in controlling adult insects and larvae of a wide range of pests. With its help, you can get rid of whiteflies, aphids, spider mites and other pests. The drug is characterized by low toxicity, it is completely safe for warm-blooded animals and humans. Due to the fact that Konfidor has a prolonged period of action, there is no need to carry out multiple spraying - one treatment is enough.

Advantages and disadvantages of agrochemicals

Advantages:

• Effectively destroy not only adult insects, but also their larvae and eggs;
• Some chemicals, other than medicinal ones, have stimulating properties;
• Large selection of drugs on the market.

Disadvantages:

• Not all chemicals can be used in residential areas, some of them have an unpleasant odor and can adversely affect people's well-being;
• High-quality, low-toxic drugs have a high cost;
• Some chemicals can accumulate in the soil and in the plants themselves.

Whitefly control on houseplants: video review

Causes of the appearance and measures to combat the whitefly on indoor plants:

How to get rid of whiteflies - pest control on houseplants:

Whitefly on fuchsia and rose - pest control

How to deal with whiteflies on indoor plants - flower growers reviews

Lyudmila Ivanovna, 51 years old, Leningrad region:

My husband and I have a greenhouse, so we know firsthand about the whitefly. When she appeared in the house, they immediately realized that fighting with proven methods is not good - environmentally friendly means are needed here. Therefore, they decided not to resort to chemistry. To scare away and destroy insects, I use an infusion of ash, and also shower plants with makhorka dust. Whitefly eggs are much more difficult to destroy, sometimes it comes to the point that I wipe the leaves with a solution of ammonia. In the fall, I think to take out all the tubs in order to disinfect the soil and destroy the larvae and adult pests. This is how we fight.

Maria Epifantseva, 43 years old, Pskov region:

There are many different plants in the house - it's beautiful, but there is enough trouble with them. Even despite our rather harsh climate, there are a lot of various pests in the region, among them the whitefly stands out for its voracity. Since I do not have extra time to care for plants, I fight pests with the help of chemicals. In the spring I take out all the tubs and pots on the veranda, open the windows and treat them with Fitoverm at least twice with an interval of 7-8 days. For the winter and early spring, I water the soil with a weak Aktara solution. As a rule, after using it for several days, all pests die.

Benefits of using Aktara insecticide: effectively controls the population of adult whiteflies, as well as its eggs and larvae, the drug can be used both for spraying and for watering plants, no unpleasant odor, affordable price;

Disadvantages: when processing plants, it is necessary to follow the rules of individual safety, it can harm bees and other beneficial insects.

Adult insects can fly, so they easily move from one plant to another. The larvae are inactive, however, having stuck to the plant, they secrete a waxy coating, which, among other things, can protect them from poisons. Myrtle, fuchsia, various ferns, geranium, eucalyptus, gloxinia, calla lilies, nightshade, pomegranate, henbane lantana are especially common victims of the whitefly.

Signs of infection

The first and most noticeable sign is a cloud of insects taking off after touching an infected plant. In general, the appearance of white midges in the room should alert: it is advisable to immediately check all the plants in order to detect them in time. An indirect sign by which pests can be calculated are twisted leaves. Due to insect secretions, a shiny sticky coating (honeydew) and black spots appear on them - this is a soot fungus, the appearance of which these very secretions provoke. Finally, by closely examining the infected plant, on the lower part of the leaves you can find translucent scales - these are insect larvae.

Causes of the pest

Methods of disposal

So, the whitefly was found on indoor flowers - how to get rid of the pest? To begin with, all plants need to be carefully examined. Infected flowers must be quarantined in a separate room. There you can start treatment. Consider the most effective methods against the pest, since you need to deal with the whitefly as quickly as possible.

Chemicals

First of all, you can use such a drug as - it is the safest for humans and pets. It may take 3-4 sprays to completely destroy the colony. If it doesn’t work, you can apply Aktara. This remedy paralyzes the nutritional organs of the larvae and in a day they die of hunger. It is used both for watering the plant, and for spraying it. It is addictive, so for reliability it can be alternated with means such as Confidor or Tanrek. In even more difficult cases, highly toxic substances can be used, for example, Aktellik. In the fight against whiteflies, drugs such as Kinmiks, Karbofo and Vertimek can also help. At the same time, safety rules must be strictly observed.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies for spraying can also destroy the whitefly. Pour wood ash into the water (at the rate of 1 cup per 5 liters), let it brew for 3-4 hours. Then dissolve 50 g of soap in water. A remedy recommended by many is tobacco infusion. Remove tobacco from strong cigarettes (you will need one pack), fill with hot water and adjust for 5 days. After straining, spray the flower (2-3 times a day).

Grind 5 cloves into gruel, pour a glass of water and insist in a sealed container for 1-2 days. Strain the infusion through 3 layers of gauze and spray the plant. A faster tincture is obtained from onions: grind the middle onion and pour a glass of water. Insist 2-3 hours. Such spraying should be carried out several times at weekly intervals in order to destroy those insects that survived the spraying in the state of eggs.

Grind 20 g of red hot pepper, pour 200 ml of water and boil for an hour. Let the decoction brew for a day and strain. For spraying, 10 ml of infusion must be diluted in 1 liter of water. The finished broth is stored for a long time and it is good to keep it “just in case”.

Traps

Fumigator

When deciding how to get rid of whiteflies on indoor plants, keep in mind that you can use a regular mosquito fumigator. To do this, close the plant in a small airtight room (for example, a loggia) and leave it with the device turned on for two days.

Prevention of the appearance

Whitefly on houseplants is less likely to start if the room is well ventilated.

If plant conditions do not require it, avoid high humidity at high room temperatures. Once you spot a whitefly on houseplants, decide how to deal with it in the most convenient way for you. And try to get down to business as quickly as possible, then there is every chance to save the plant.

The whitefly is such a small insect that is a real disaster in greenhouses and greenhouses. However, as it turned out, this pest is not averse to feasting on the juice of tender houseplants. With a mass defeat by the whitefly, the indoor flower will die within 2-3 weeks. In order to keep your flowers intact, you need to know how to get rid of whiteflies on indoor flowers.

Varieties of whiteflies that infect indoor plants

This insect looks like a white butterfly, much like a moth, but only tiny in size. This insect, which barely reaches 0.4 cm in length, got its name because of the color of the wings, as if sprinkled with starch. However, what we take to be starch is a coating of wax.

The body of this midge is pale yellow in color and is also not devoid of a wax coating. On the head of the whitefly there are elongated antennae and eyes. The insect lays very small eggs that cannot be seen with the naked eye. The larva of this pest is wingless, slightly less than a millimeter in size, with an oval flat body. The shell of the larvae is colorless at first, and then becomes whitish.

Many different types of this pest live in the natural environment, but you have to fight on your own at home with these types of whiteflies:

• greenhouse or hothouse - loves a warm environment very much and lives exclusively in houses and structures of protected ground;
• cotton or tobacco - an omnivorous insect that prefers humid air and heat;
• giant - capable of causing great harm to ornamental crops;
• citrus - gives special preference to citrus crops.

Important! If small white midges are found on indoor flowers, this indicates that the plants are inhabited by one of the above whitefly species.

What flowers are at risk?

Whitefly is found on houseplants quite often. However, not all domestic flowers are indiscriminately affected by the whitefly. The pest prefers plants with soft and tender leaves, and thorny cacti and toxic plants do not interest him at all.

The following houseplants are at particular risk of whitefly damage:

• myrtle;
• fuchsia;
• hibiscus;
• geranium;
• gloxinia;
• Garnet;
• petunia;
• the Rose;
• orchid;
• balsam;
• pelargonium;
• ficus.

It is on such indoor flowers that one has to fight the whitefly and remove it with purchased chemicals or folk remedies.

Causes of occurrence, and what are the dangers of pests?

For no reason, white butterflies cannot appear in a human dwelling and colonize an indoor flower. This undesirable phenomenon is always due to something.

They can enter the house in the following ways:

• through an open door or window;
• together with the earth with which the pots are filled;
• on the leaves of purchased plants;
• on a person's clothes or shoes.

A white midge that has entered the house must have certain conditions for life and reproduction. Cool ventilated rooms do not suit her. She cannot live in such an environment.

Attention! The ideal environment for the whitefly is a hot, unventilated room with high humidity. If the plants are placed tightly in such a house, this is an additional bonus for a prosperous life and pest reproduction.

All stages of insect development, with the exception of eggs, have a harmful effect on indoor flowers. The growth of larvae and their development occurs due to the juice that they suck out from the tissues of indoor flowers. Weakened plants slow down their development and slowly begin to dry out.

Adult butterflies lay sweetish excrement on the leaves, on which the sooty fungus colonizes. The fungal organism, developing, causes blackening and decay of the foliage and stems of the plant.

We should not forget that whiteflies are often carriers of pathogens of incurable viral diseases:

• mosaic;
• chlorosis;
• leaf curl;
• jaundice.

Important! Indoor flowers that have become ill with viral diseases should not be treated. They should be ruthlessly thrown away.

How to identify larvae and adults?

This insect, with its chitinous proboscis, pierces the leaf sheath and sucks out the juice. From punctures, traces remain, which show that there is a whitefly on the flowers.

Damage symptoms look like this:

• yellow dots less than a millimeter in size appear on the leaves;
• with an increase in the number of pests, the number of points increases rapidly, the leaves begin to fade;
• soot deposits appear on the reverse side of the sheet;
• on the leaves under a magnifying glass you can see a clutch of yellow eggs laid in circles;
• there is a lot of honeydew on the leaves - excrement of the whitefly.

Attention! Honeydew is a favorable environment for soot fungus. If the fight against the whitefly on indoor plants is not carried out, then this will inevitably lead to their extensive damage by a fungal infection. Then the fight will have to be waged on 2 fronts: against the butterfly and against the disease.

What is used to kill insects at home?

Sooner or later, every amateur grower is forced to think about how to destroy the whitefly. To date, many effective options for dealing with this insect have been tested, and people have learned how to defeat the whitefly that has entered their home.

The applied means of struggle are conventionally divided into the following groups:

• chemical;
• folk;
• traps and fumigators;
• biological.

Depending on the degree of damage to plants and on the conditions available, each grower chooses one of these methods of struggle, which seems to him the most effective.

chemicals

This group includes purchased insecticides that suppress the vital activity of white midges in a matter of hours. The toxic substance of the insecticide penetrates the leaf tissues. The pest drinks the juice of the plant and dies from the poison.

However, these drugs also have a negative side. The fact is that they are toxic not only for insects, but also for humans, as well as domestic animals. Chemicals are quite dangerous outdoors, and in a home the danger to a person increases significantly. Therefore, people resort to chemicals as a last resort, having first tried other methods. Most often they process non-residential premises with good ventilation.

Before processing residential premises, take the plants to the balcony or to the neighbors. Strictly follow the instructions for use of the drug, exclude any experiments with chemicals.

Akarin

Akarin is a fairly effective, proven drug that can destroy not only the whitefly, but also other pests. Before use, the product must be diluted with water in the ratio indicated in the instructions. Treat indoor plants by spraying. The poison, falling on the pest, penetrates through its protective shell and kills it.

Spark

This drug is well known to gardeners and flower growers, as it has been used for several decades. The domestic industry produces it in the following forms:

• powder;
• liquid;
• sticks;
• pills.

Spark spray indoor flowers from the whitefly. The period of its protective action lasts 22 days. Sometimes a single application of this remedy is enough to permanently get rid of the whitefly on indoor flowers.

Fitoverm

Fitoverm is an insecticidal agent, thanks to which you can effectively fight whiteflies and other harmful bugs at home. It is recommended to poison the pest with this chemical before the growth phase of the potted plant. For two sprayings with an interval of 10 days, you can completely get rid of the whitefly.

Actellik

A drug showing excellent efficacy against whiteflies, aphids and even mites. The chemical is available in liquid form, has a sharp unpleasant odor and is highly toxic.

Aktara

Powerful insecticide. It is used by the method of strait at the root. As a result, the entire vegetative part of the plants is saturated with the poison of this substance, which does not adversely affect the flower itself. Butterflies and their larvae are killed by this insecticide. In case of mass damage, bushes are additionally sprayed.

In the fight against whitefly, other purchased chemicals can also be used, for example: Fufanon, Rovikurt, Inta-Vir.

Ready and homemade traps

These are good tools designed to deal with adult butterflies. The principle of their operation is based on the use of an adhesive substance applied to a tape or a piece of film. And to attract butterflies, they are painted in a bright orange color. Insects take a bright color for a light source and fly to it. Insect traps are easy to purchase at the store, but you can build your own.

With your own hands, the simplest trap can be made like this:

• take a sheet of cardboard and paint it bright orange;
• on this sheet, apply a glue that does not dry quickly, without a strong odor;
• hang the prepared trap in places where insects accumulate.

The whitefly will definitely fly in and sit on the sticky mass applied to the cardboard, and she will not be able to get out of it.

Fumigator

The use of fumigators is always highly effective when it is required to destroy harmful insects in an apartment. In fact, this is an electrical device in which there is a container with a chemical or a special plate impregnated with poisons.

When the device is powered with electricity, the plate heats up, releasing toxic gas. And in the case of choosing a liquid unit, the liquid from the spiral heats up and also evaporates the poisonous gas into the air space of the room. Within an hour, the concentration of poison in the room reaches such levels at which the whitefly falls dead.

Important! Before turning on the device for operation, it is necessary to close the windows and doors tightly. People and animals in the room at this time should not be.

Folk remedies

Compared with chemicals, folk remedies are not as toxic, they do not require the evacuation of households from the apartment for the period of treatment. However, their main drawback is not one hundred percent effectiveness, as well as the need to carry out several such treatments to eradicate the pest.

Tar soap

For the fight against the white butterfly, some result is achieved by the use of tar soap. It is used like this:

• grind it with a grater;
• for 1 part of soap, take 6 parts of water;
• combine the components, mix the solution well until a large amount of foam appears;
• take a sponge and apply foam with it to the leaves and shoots of plants;
• the surface of the soil in the pot should also be treated with foam.

Attention! It is desirable to duplicate such treatment after 7 days.

garlic cloves

Oddly enough, garlic can protect indoor flowers from whiteflies. The recipe for garlic infusion is also surprisingly simple. It is necessary to chop 3 cloves of this vegetable, then pour 1 liter of raw water and let it brew for 1-2 days. After filtering, you can start spraying. Practice shows that one spraying is almost always not enough, it will be necessary to duplicate the treatment several times.

Decoction of yarrow

What else can you try to apply if a whitefly appears on houseplants? Many flower growers use yarrow grass. Based on it, an infusion is prepared according to the following recipe:

• take 95 g of dry grass;
• pour it with 1 liter of boiling water;
• insist 1.5 days;
• strain;
• apply for spraying.

Plants will have to be sprayed several times until the white midges completely disappear.

Tobacco

No less effective in the fight against whiteflies show homemade recipes based on tobacco. The simplest of them is the one in which 20 cigarettes from a pack are poured into 1 liter of boiling water and the composition is insisted for 4-5 days. After filtering it, the resulting solution can be sprayed with home flowers 2 times a day.

Dandelion infusion

The well-known dandelion, which grows in dry steppes, can also be useful for breeding a white butterfly on indoor flowers. The recipe based on it is prepared as follows:

• 80 g of dandelion leaves, along with the root, are crushed with a knife;
• pour a mass of 1 liter of water;
• insist 3-4 days in a dark place;
• strain and apply for spraying.

sugar syrup

To prepare such a folk remedy, you will need to dissolve 2 tbsp in a glass of water. l. granulated sugar. The vegetative part of the flowers must be treated with a sweet solution. After 6 days, a similar procedure is recommended to be duplicated. After the disappearance of white midges, wipe the leaves with a sponge dipped in warm water.

Alcohol extract of pyrethrum

Some people take to poisoning the whitefly with an alcohol extract of pyrethrum. Why 26 g of this substance is poured with alcohol in the amount of 100 g and infused for a day under a tightly closed lid. Before use, the resulting concentrate is diluted with 1 liter of water, 6 g of crushed soap are added there and the whole composition is thoroughly mixed.

With this composition, you can process indoor flowers every week.

wood ash

Individual flower growers get a good result using wood ash in the fight against whitefly on houseplants. Preparing this recipe is not difficult at all. To do this, dilute a glass of ash in 5 liters of raw water, and then infuse the composition for 4 hours. In order for the product to adhere well to the leaves, 46 g of laundry soap in a crushed state is added to the solution.

ammonium chloride

Ammonia is often used against various pests, including against whiteflies in greenhouses and greenhouses. But because of its pungent smell, it is not used in living rooms.

Removing the pest manually

With a small amount of the pest, you should not bother yourself with preparing different recipes; it is better to remove the white midges manually. They can be pressed down directly on the leaves with the same sponge or use a vacuum cleaner. This household appliance will draw the whitefly into a dust bag where it cannot escape.

We use biological agents

In addition, the macrolofus predatory bug is very dangerous for the whitefly, as it feeds on its eggs. If you release such a tick in a room, then larvae will never hatch from whitefly eggs.

Wash the leaves with water

It is known that the stage of development of whitefly larvae before their transformation into adult insects under normal conditions lasts one week. They live on the underside of the leaves, sucking the juice. With this information, you can use it to reduce the number of insects.

Lowering the temperature in the room

Earlier, we have already noted that the whitefly loves high temperatures, and at low positive temperatures, the harm from it is minimal. This factor can also be used in the fight against these white butterflies. To do this, you need to reduce the temperature in the room with indoor flowers to 6-8 degrees Celsius for a day or more. Adults will die from such conditions.

Important! A significant disadvantage of this method is that it has no effect on the eggs of the pest. Therefore, such an operation will have to be duplicated 1 or 2 times.

Prevention of reinfection

To protect your indoor flowers from the invasion of this insidious pest or to prevent its reappearance, you need to perform some preventive actions. Here's what to do:

• exclude stagnation of irrigation water in pallets;
• place indoor plants at some distance from each other;
• keep purchased plants for a week separately from other flowers;
• regularly inspect indoor plants;
• immediately remove all plant debris, cut off dried fragments of plants;
• ventilate the room daily;
• newly brought into the house pots, inventory or soil must be disinfected;
• use growth stimulants to increase the immunity of indoor flowers;
• rub the leaves of the flowers and give them a weekly shower.

If you perform the above simple steps, you can greatly reduce the risk of damage to indoor flowers by the whitefly.

whitefly- of the many pests that "love" indoor plants (and also garden and garden plants together) occupies one of the first places in terms of harmfulness. She is not only gluttonous, but also troublesome to deal with her. Of course, the best way to deal with whiteflies is prevention, but often, despite good care and all protective measures, indoor flowers are attacked by various pests. In this case, and take urgent and drastic measures. Approximately 70% of success in pest control depends on how early they are detected. To do this, it is necessary to carefully and regularly examine the plant and, of course, to know what this or that pest looks like in order to choose the right way to deal with it.

What is dangerous whitefly and how to identify it

The whitefly is small in size, but it is easy to recognize it, at least by association with the name. Although it is a terrible pest, the whitefly looks harmless and even cute. Quite small, only 1-2 mm with wings that are covered with white bloom. Single insects can only be seen through a magnifying glass. But most often, whiteflies are found when, when touched by a favorite fuchsia or geranium, a host of white small insects takes off. This is the most disturbing symptom. Flying whiteflies are already adult insects that have probably laid eggs, and soon larvae will appear that will eat everything. Outwardly, the whitefly larva resembles a scale insect. She also sticks to the plant and creates a wax cocoon. But sucking out juices is not all the harm caused by the larvae of this pest, the tobacco whitefly (aka cotton) is also a carrier of diseases, quite often its appearance precedes the appearance of and.

It is necessary to start fighting this pest when the first signs of its activity appear. The first sign of the appearance of a whitefly is the appearance of a sticky, shiny substance, gum, on the leaves. If you look closely, you will notice whitefly eggs on young leaves. This is a sure sign that immediate action needs to be taken. There are many species of whiteflies, but they are especially dangerous for indoor plants: greenhouse (greenhouse), citrus, for garden plants in the summer can create problems tobacco (cotton) whitefly.

Whitefly on indoor plants: pest control

The sooner a pest is detected, the less damage it can cause and the more effective and easier it will be to fight it. Lime the whitefly immediately, it is unlikely to succeed, the process is lengthy. Do not immediately apply chemistry. Get rid of the adults and at least some of the eggs first. Flying whiteflies can be collected with a regular vacuum cleaner. It is worth touching the plant, they will rise into the air, turn on the vacuum cleaner and collect. Then you need to wash the leaves and stems of the plant under running water. If possible, then change the soil in the pot.

Advice. The whitefly is a thermophilic pest. Temperatures below +15 do not tolerate. Therefore, if the plant is resistant to temperature drops, it can be put in a cool place. Usually a week is enough for the whitefly to die.

But this is preliminary preparation. After it, you can apply chemicals. The choice of chemistry for the fight against whiteflies is quite wide. For example - "Fufanon", "Confidor", "Aktellik", etc. "Aktara" has proven itself well and is widely used. One treatment is usually not enough. They must be repeated once a week. It will be necessary to carry out 2-3 treatments.

If you are not a supporter of chemistry, then there are other ways to get rid of the whitefly. Color traps for whiteflies are widely used. These traps are very similar to flypaper and work in much the same way. But this is rather a preventive control measure, because it only affects an adult flying individual and can only stop it on approaching the plant. But if the eggs have already been laid and the larvae have hatched, then the traps are unlikely to help here.

There are folk ways to deal with whitefly. But they only work when there are not many pests on the plant yet. When the problem is started, then folk methods are ineffective. The most common way to deal with whiteflies is to use garlic infusion. It is prepared like this.

Marina Kaustyan

Mom and housewife. Knows all the secrets of indoor plants and loves to tell them to others

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Probably every experienced gardener or just a lover of indoor plants has come across an even greater lover of flowers. This is a pest called whitefly. Outwardly, it resembles a small moth. Without noticing the whitefly in time, you can lose your garden, because these pests cause tremendous damage, including bringing seedlings to death.

Despite the stage of development of a butterfly (adult or larva), they are equally voracious and ready to drink all the juice from plants. At first, they simply lose their vitality and slow down growth, and then they die altogether.

Finding a whitefly is very easy. It flies over plants, looks very much like a small white midge. Also can be confused with moth.

Shake the leaves and if a cloud of small moths has formed above it, the whitefly has already begun to master your plantings. Small scales may hang from the back of the leaf - this is how the nascent larvae look (usually hanging in large numbers). In addition, there may be a shiny coating on the leaves (this liquid is also secreted by aphids in the process of life). And after the appearance of this liquid, black spots appear, which indicates the occurrence of a fungus.

The leaves turn yellow, curl, no longer grow - this is also sign of a pest.

If a whitefly is found, immediately take measures to destroy the pest.

Usually, they appear on plants during very hot but humid summers - this is ideal weather for white butterflies, temperatures below 10 degrees are already deadly for them. However, do not think that winter will kill these insects, the larvae tolerate the cold very well, and when the heat comes, they are ready to start their sabotage.

Do you have a vegetable garden?

YesNot

The biggest difficulty is that the whitefly can spread to all rooms of the apartment / house if there are flowers there, because for her this is not a particular problem, because she flies.

This insect is very tenacious, it is extremely difficult to eliminate it.

Nevertheless, despite the fact that the whitefly is still a very dangerous pest, it is still possible (and even necessary) to deal with it.

In general, all methods are effective, both chemical, mechanical, and folk. However, more preference should still be given to chemical ones, since they penetrate directly into the juice of the plant and poison it. After drinking the poisoned juice, the whitefly and all offspring die. If we turn to folk methods, then they act directly on the insect itself, destroying it. The larvae and eggs remain intact, the juice of the plant does not change.

Another way is traps., but they only work on adults, so they will only work in advanced cases.

Insecticides that can control whiteflies

• Aktara. A tool well known to the professional gardener, as it is universal and can cope with a huge number of pests even at the initial stages of development. The cost is 8.5 thousand rubles per 1 kg, but this volume will last for several years, so you should not complain about the price. Using it is very simple - water the plant directly under the roots. That's all. The plant absorbs the chemical and the juice is poisonous, which kills the insect almost instantly;
• Actellik. 3 thousand rubles per liter. It mainly fights against a colony of insects, making units much rarer. It is not used as a single remedy, it is best to combine it with Aktara. The only drawback is that it has a high toxicity class (dangerous for humans). Therefore, when applying it, you need to remember all safety rules and thoroughly rinse the area where the treatment was carried out. In addition, it has an unpleasant odor;
• Kinmix. Cost: 4 thousand rubles per liter. It has a detrimental effect on the nervous system of the insect, death occurs in a day. Again, it is diluted in a large amount of water, so the consumption is very long and the cost is not so high.

How to process?

When working with insecticides, you need to be extremely careful. Firstly, if the treatment is carried out in a residential area - after that it is necessary to ventilate it well, but it is better to leave it to ventilate for a day. If among the processed plants there are fruits, they can be eaten only after a few days (ideally - after a week and a half).

Protect any area of ​​the body where the chemical may enter, window sill or pore after washing thoroughly. It is best to dress in buried clothes, put on gloves on your hands. Places that could get insecticide - thoroughly rinse with plenty of warm water.

Dilute the insecticide with water exactly in the proportions indicated in the instructions. Carefully wipe / spray the leaves, stems (pay special attention to the underside of the leaf, since this is where the larvae live until they grow up).

Some insecticides need to be watered into the soil so that the solution is absorbed into the roots and poisons the juice that these butterflies feed on. Some gardeners recommend at the initial stages to make the solution 3-4 times more concentrated than it is written in the instructions (this is especially true for Aktara).

Folk remedies against whiteflies

• The easiest way is water. Just wipe the leaves with a thick cloth. Careful attention must be paid to the lower area in order to accurately remove all the larvae. Nevertheless, you need to be careful, because the larvae can fall into the ground, and they live in open ground without any problems;
• soapy water. Proportions 1:6, tar or laundry soap thoroughly dissolved in water. The foam is applied with a sponge on the leaves, you can spray. However, be careful with contact with the soil, because contact with deep soil layers is contraindicated;
• tobacco solution. Grind a cheap pack of cigarettes (such as "Prima", "Maxima") and dissolve in water (1 liter of water is used for a pack of cigarettes). Leave to infuse for about 5-6 days in a dark place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. Do the same manipulations as with a soap solution. Within three days, you need to lime the entire solution.

In general, it is recommended to rub folk remedies into the leaves, because in this way you are in more contact with the insect, since you cannot cause any other harm to it. The sprayed solution is less concentrated, so it may not have such a detrimental effect on the whitefly.

Plant Prevention

First you need to still find out under what circumstances the whitefly appears. To do this, pay attention to the following factors:

• Warmly;
• High humidity;
• Densely planted plants;
• Stale air.

Under these conditions, the whitefly appears on your houseplants. These are the most favorable, one might even say favorite conditions for the pest. As soon as it starts to get colder, the seedlings stand one at a time, the room is ventilated - the whitefly dies out.

Remember that pests will never appear on the site (even if it is indoor), which is constantly looked after. Need keep an eye on the plants, look under the leaves, wipe them and sometimes change the soil.

Another trick - foil. It is used to reflect the sun's rays to the inside of the leaf. White butterflies hate the sun, so this will cause great harm to the larvae.

By observing the care of pets, checking them in time, you will definitely get rid of such a scourge as pests. The whitefly is a very dangerous insect, the fight against which is simply necessary.

We tell in detail how to deal with the whitefly at home - effective methods of struggle. See how to get rid of whiteflies on indoor flowers using folk remedies and chemicals, as well as preventive measures.

How to deal with whiteflies on indoor plants?

It is difficult to get rid of the insect, only adults can be destroyed with insecticides, and, as a rule, there are pests at different stages of development.

The larvae are very firmly attached to the leaves, and it is not possible to wash them off with any solution, and the susceptibility to the action of chemicals is very low.

• Therefore, the best time to treat indoor plants by any means is when an adult has just formed.

An adult insect begins to actively feed and mate, and at this moment it is most sensitive to the effects of folk remedies or drugs.

It is also difficult to fight a pest on indoor flowers because, during spraying, adults often begin to fly and hide.

CONTROL MEASURES

1. If an insect is found, place the flower separately from other pets and inspect the entire collection. The place where the specimen was located (windowsill, window, outer sides of the pots) - wash with a soap and alcohol solution.
2. Replace the top layer of soil in the flower pot.
3. Before treatment with the drug, wipe the leaves of the plant from white plaque with a cotton swab (soft toothbrush) with a solution of water with methyl alcohol (1: 1) or soapy water, and cut off seriously affected areas.
4. Rinse off the solution and leave it to dry. After the water has evaporated from the leaves, spray the flower, topsoil, and spill the soil with a systemic insecticide.
5. Ventilate the room well so that traces of the chemical agent disappear.

ADVIСE. Plant species that cannot be washed leaves need to be sprayed, and preferably with chemical preparations.

Treating all houseplants increases your chances of getting rid of whiteflies, as does rinsing your window sill, pots, and glass.

In addition to treatments with folk remedies or chemicals, you need to inspect a home flower daily, collect whitefly eggs and catch adults. Cut off the affected and yellowed leaves on house flowers in a timely manner.

It is sometimes necessary to treat houseplants with whitefly remedies in order to completely get rid of it within 40-50 days.

whitefly medications

Since the susceptibility of the pest to chemicals at different stages of development is significantly different, it is necessary to deal with the pest in a comprehensive manner.

Chemical preparations for whiteflies are an effective tool in pest control on houseplants.

Experts advise using systemic insecticides (Aktara, Konfidor, Tanrek) with a soil mixture from the very beginning. These drugs will eventually spread through the roots throughout the plant, and the insect will be easier to destroy.

• Systemic insecticides are recommended to be alternated with enteric-contact preparations, since they do not act on the fourth-stage larva (pupa - it does not suck plant sap).

Of the enteric-contact drugs, one can note: Akarin, Aktellik, Inta-Vir, Karbofos and Fitoverm.

Popular drugs

Near each drug, we indicated its hazard (toxicity) class: 4 - low hazard to humans, safe for bees and beneficial insects, 3 - moderately hazardous substance, 2 - highly hazardous substance, 1 - extremely dangerous for humans and animals.

Non-systemic insecticides of contact-intestinal action

1. "Akarin" (the old name "Agravertin") - 4, (Avertin), price: 4 ml package - 13-20 rubles.
2. "Aktellik" - 2, (pyrimifos-methyl), price: 2 ml package - 30-50 rubles. On the territory of Russia, the drug for personal use is not registered as of 01.10.2016. Although sometimes the drug can still be found in small stores and on the Internet.
3. "Bankol" - 3 (bensultap), price: a package of 10 grams - 30-40 rubles.
4. "Vertimek" - 2, (abamectin), price: $ 90 / liter, manual packaging - 2 ml - 25 rubles.
5. "Inta-Vir" - 3, (cypermethrin), price: package 8 gr - 10-15 rubles.
6. "Karbofos" ("Malathion", "Fufanon", "Iskra M") - 3, (malathion), price: a package of 30 gr - 30-40 rubles (a sharp unpleasant odor).
7. "Fitoverm" - 4, (aversectin C), price: package (ampoule) 4ml - 15-20 rubles.

Systemic insecticides of contact-intestinal action

1. "Aktara" - 3, (thiamethoxam), price: 1.2 ml ampoule - 40-50 rubles, package 4 gr - 90-120 rubles.
2. "Confidor Extra" - 3, (imidacloprid), price: package 1 gr - 30-40 rubles.
3. "Tanrek" - 3, (imidacloprid), price: 1 ml ampoule - 10-15 rubles.

• Prices are based on hypermarkets such as "Obi", "Leroy Merlin" according to the rate of 1 dollar = 65 rubles. These preparations are widely found in many flower shops.

What is the best drug to choose?

These funds can be alternated with each other, if necessary, in order to completely get rid of the whitefly on indoor flowers.

In case of serious damage or a decrease in the effect of treatment with previous chemicals, go to Aktellik, Karbofos or Vertimek as they are more toxic.

"Karbofos", "Vertimek" and "Aktellik" can only process indoor plants in the open air.

ATTENTION! Carefully read the instructions for use of any drug and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

"Fitoverm" from the whitefly

The drug "Fitoverm" well destroys the whitefly on flowers, and many experts recommend starting the fight with it. "Fitoverm" is an insecticide of biological origin with minimal danger to humans and pets.

Dissolve 2 ml of the drug in 200 ml of water and spray the indoor flower. Processing is carried out every 5-8 days, depending on the size and age of the plants, as well as the air temperature.

In most situations, 3-4 sprays of a flower are enough to completely get rid of the whitefly.

6-8 days after the last or next spraying with Fitoverm, the home flower can be treated with Epin to support it.

"Aktara" from the whitefly

Many flower growers prefer to deal with the whitefly on houseplants with the help of Aktara. "Aktara" is a very strong systemic insecticide that can destroy the pest quite quickly and easily for the grower.

Watering the soil, without spraying, is often enough to get rid of whiteflies on houseplants. According to the reviews of flower growers, this method of struggle helps well: water the indoor flower with Aktara, and the second time after 6-8 days, and the insect will be completely destroyed.

Standard application of "Aktara" in pest control:

The indoor flower is sprayed with Aktara solution 1 gram per 1.25 liters of water (enough for 25-30 plants) and the soil mixture is shed - 1 gram per 10 liters of water.

Processing must be carried out 2-4 times, every 10-12 days, depending on the air temperature. In most cases, after 2-3 procedures, it is possible to get rid of the whitefly at home.

After spraying the plant, "Aktar" does not need to be washed off. The waiting period for spraying is 1-24 hours, and for watering - 2-4 days.

The drug for severe lesions: "Aktellik"

Dilute the Aktellika ampoule (2 ml) in a liter of water and spray the indoor flower. Use no more than 2 treatments in a row. The waiting period is 3 days.

IMPORTANT!"Aktellik" can only be used outdoors. It is impossible to work with them for pregnant women, people suffering from asthma and allergic diseases.

The drug "Actellik" is a powerful and toxic remedy that helps get rid of the whitefly on home flowers.

Plan for the treatment of indoor plants with drugs

1. It is necessary to process indoor flowers from the whitefly every 6-8 days (temperature above 20 degrees Celsius) since the egg stage lasts 10-20 days at 17-23 ° C.
2. Be aware that if the air temperature at the time of spraying is below 18 °, then the effectiveness of chemicals is seriously reduced.
3. After spraying, you do not need to put a plastic transparent bag on the home flower, it is more important to carry out a second procedure at the right time.
4. Remember that a single treatment with any drug gives a one-time effect.

IMPORTANT! If a whitefly is found, it is necessary to process all house flowers in a way that it moves easily. If you process only part of your collection, then the risk of re-discovery of the pest is high.

How to get rid of whitefly folk remedies?

As before, it is folk remedies that are the main weapon in the fight against pests in vegetable crops. It is very important to fight the whitefly with them on cabbage, cucumbers, greens, tomatoes and others.

Since the treatment with chemicals leads to the accumulation of hazardous substances in the tissues of the plant, vegetables, fruits and berries will harm the human body.

However, pest control with folk remedies on houseplants is less successful than with chemicals. However, many flower growers have been able to get rid of the whitefly on indoor flowers with the help of folk remedies.

Therefore, the use of chemicals or folk remedies is the personal choice of each person.

• The editors of the “Feast of Flowers” ​​can say from their own experience that among folk remedies, garlic, onions are more effective in combination with frequent washings of the plant with soapy water (tar, potash or household).

The use of traps and a fumigator in addition will also speed up the process of exterminating the insect.

1. Soap solution

To prepare the solution, you can take household, tar or green potassium soap, and, in extreme cases, any will do, as well as dishwashing detergent.

1. It is necessary to treat the houseplant completely with a soapy solution, as well as the window sill, window frame, pot and pot tray. The more foam in the process, the better.
2. After wiping the plant, it is better to wash off the soap foam after 2-4 hours.

RECIPE. Pour a tablespoon of soap shavings with a glass of warm water. To enhance the effect, you can add a teaspoon of ammonia (technical, medical, in extreme cases, vodka) and 300 grams of water.

The soap-alcohol solution must be washed off after 10-15 minutes with warm water so as not to burn the home flower.

IMPORTANT! Some experts insist that the use of a soap solution on indoor flowers is not acceptable. In their opinion, soap blocks the stomata, which leads to disruption of photosynthesis and flower development.

Alcohol can not process plant species with delicate leaves.

2. Wood ash

Wood ash from pests is often used by flower growers.

Add one glass of crushed wood ash to five liters of water and infuse for 3-4 hours. Then add 50 grams of soap and start spraying the plants with infusion of aphid ash.

2nd RECIPE. Pour 250 g of ash with boiling water, strain after cooling and spray the plant.

3. Garlic

Garlic infusion is a popular remedy in pest control.

Pour five crushed cloves (a teaspoon of gruel) of garlic into a glass of water. Infuse the mixture in a tightly sealed container for 1-2 days, and then rinse the plant every 7-8 days. To spray - strain the infusion through three layers of gauze.

Recipe number 2. A teaspoon of garlic gruel (4-5 crushed teeth) is poured into 500 ml of boiling water and insisted for 4-5 hours. The infusion is filtered and the affected flower is wiped.

Recipe number 3. Lay out a few sheets of paper around the potted plant and place a slurry of garlic on top. Then cover the indoor flower with a bag (for garbage).

The package is left for a week, the plant is ventilated every evening. If desired, after 3-4 days, you can add fresh gruel of garlic.

4. Bow

A medium-sized onion is finely chopped, rubbed and poured with a glass of water for 2-3 hours. Then everything, as with garlic.

ONION SHELL. To prepare an infusion from aphids, 20 grams of husks are poured with a liter of warm water and infused for 13-16 hours. The resulting infusion is sprayed with indoor flowers, usually 2-3 procedures are enough to destroy insects.

5. Infusion of pepper

Apply an infusion of red hot pepper to kill the whitefly: boil 20-30 grams of chopped (finely chopped) pepper in 200 ml of water for 60 minutes. Then leave the resulting liquid for 24 hours and strain. For spraying, dilute 10 ml of infusion of pepper from aphids in a liter of water.

You can treat indoor plants with infusion of pepper once every two weeks. Pepper tincture can be stored for a long time in finished form, which allows it to be used immediately after the pest is detected.

PROCESSING RULES. Folk remedies are best used every 5-6 days 3-4 times in a row with one of the infusions. For each procedure, it is necessary to prepare a fresh solution, with the exception of exceptions (pepper tincture).

ADVICE. For a greater effect from spraying with a folk remedy (it will stick to the plant better), add soap to the solution - about a teaspoon of chips per liter of infusion or solution.

There are other home and folk remedies for whitefly, but we believe that this list of folk remedies will be sufficient for the grower. Since the presented home remedies are easy to find and apply, and they are also quite effective.

Other folk tricks

Glue traps

In order to make it easier to deal with pests on plants, in addition to folk remedies or chemicals, glue traps can be used. They are great at catching adult insects.

To kill whiteflies, you can buy a glue fly trap or make your own.

Mushroom gnats caught in a trap

How to make a DIY whitefly trap?

Paint a piece of plywood, cardboard or thick paper yellow. You can use white traps, but yellow attracts the attention of the pest more strongly.

Lubricate the trap with a sticky substance - castor or machine oil, petroleum jelly, rosin with honey.

dichlorvos

You can fight the pest with dichlorvos, but only if there is no aquarium, children and animals in the house. To do this, spray dichlorvos in the morning and evening around the houseplant.

Fumigator

If there is a separate sealed room (balcony, loggia) that no one will enter, then you can transfer the home flower into it for 2 days and turn on the fumigator with insect plates.

You can also turn on the fumigator for the time when you leave for work or at night and put the plant in the bathroom.

Benzyl benzoate from whitefly

Many flower growers advise using a benzyl benzoate emulsion rather than an ointment to treat scabies.

Dissolve a teaspoon of benzyl benzoate in 200 ml of water and spray the flower.

According to reviews, this is a very effective tool that can remove the whitefly in one procedure. On average, the plant is sprayed 2-3 times in 5-7 days.

Fighting whiteflies using temperature (thermal method)

Insects do not tolerate low temperatures - less than 10 degrees Celsius. To do this, put the affected houseplant in a cool place. This method is in addition to flower treatments with drugs or folk remedies and is suitable for species that can withstand cold.

2nd OPTION. Heat the plant in a closed space (glazed balcony / loggia on a hot day or a greenhouse) to 40-45 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the whitefly will go into thermal shock.

Biological control methods

These control methods are ideal for greenhouses and greenhouses. Therefore, in order to bring out the whitefly, it is recommended to use its natural enemies (lacewing, ladybug, macrolofus, encarsia and others).

Biological agents effectively destroy the pest without harming humans and animals.

Prevention

To prevent the appearance of whiteflies on houseplants, it is necessary to prevent both high temperature and humidity at the same time. Ventilate the room and do not place indoor flowers too close to each other.

It is very important to properly care for a house plant, as a strong flower will be able to withstand the pest longer.

ADDITIONS TO THE ARTICLE:

We hope that you know how to deal with the whitefly and can get rid of it with the help of drugs or folk remedies.

Keep pests away from your favorite plants!

There are many insects that can harm both indoor and garden plants. And the whitefly among them is one of the most dangerous pests. But you can get rid of it, the main thing is to know what methods are really capable of destroying the insect.

What is this insect

The whitefly looks like a small moth and is about 2 mm long. From above, the insect is covered with white pollen. It is not easy to find it, as they usually hide on the underside of the leaves. In the same place, females lay eggs, which are attached to the plant with thin stems. One female is able to lay about 300 eggs per month.

Then larvae appear, capable of moving around the plant on their own immediately after birth and looking for food. When the larvae grow up, they stop feeding. Female whiteflies spread to other plants where they continue to lay their eggs. Insects live for about a month.

The whitefly, like its larvae, feeds on the sap of plants, therefore it is able to destroy them very quickly. The leaves quickly turn yellow, as the plant loses all its strength, and soon dies. In addition, insects carry many different diseases that infect flowers and plants. That is why the whitefly is considered a dangerous pest and a headache for all gardeners.

How to recognize a pest

The first sign of a whitefly is the presence of white midges near the plant. Therefore, if they appear there, you must immediately check the leaves. It is enough just to shake the plant so that the insects scatter. You can identify an insect and thanks to the following features:

1. Small white scales appear on the underside of the leaves. These are larvae deposited by whiteflies.
2. A sticky coating appears on the plant. This is the waste of insects.
3. Black spots can be seen on the leaves, which appear as a result of the development of a soot fungus.
4. The plant stops growing, and the leaves quickly curl and turn yellow.

Where and when does the whitefly appear?

The insect affects not only indoor plants, but also garden plants. In the house, it can appear in the summer during frequent rains. The fact is that whiteflies are very fond of heat and humidity. For example, at temperatures below 10°C, adults and larvae die. But the eggs can easily endure frost.

Therefore, in cold weather, midges prefer to live in greenhouses and greenhouses. The ideal conditions for the whitefly are the lack of ventilation and the close proximity of plants. And in order to prevent the appearance and reproduction of insects, you need to ensure that:

• plants are well ventilated;
• there was no excessive watering;
• the plants were often fertilized and were not planted too closely.

Of the indoor plants, the whitefly most often infects ficuses, gardenias, orchids, begonias and gerberas. They can also feed on vegetables, especially tomatoes, and deciduous trees such as apple, mulberry, pear, rowan, and oak.

How to deal with whitefly

There are a huge number of ways to save plants from flying pests. Chemical agents are considered the most effective. They poison the sap of the plant that whiteflies feed on. But "chemistry" does not work on eggs. Therefore, after the first spraying, you need to wait until the larvae hatch.

Folk remedies act on the insects themselves, without poisoning the plants, and also give a good result. And with the help of traps and fumigators, it is easy to destroy adults. It is important to know that during the period when the larvae are transformed into an adult, all chemicals have practically no effect on them.

Traps and fumigators

As a trap, you can use special devices that are sold in specialized stores. This is cardboard impregnated with glue safe for humans. These cardboard traps are usually yellow in color to attract insects. Whiteflies only need to get a little closer to the cardboard to stick. In addition, such traps work well against other harmful insects, such as poutine mites or fungal mosquitoes.

You can easily make them yourself. To do this, you need a thick cardboard of bright yellow color. It is then coated with petroleum jelly, castor oil, and a mixture of rosin and honey. They are fixed on a holder made of metal or wood. You can install such traps directly in the flowerpot, if the plant is already affected by insects, or on the windowsill. In a greenhouse, one trap is enough for 10 square meters. m.

You can also use fumigators, intended for mosquitoes and flies. They need to be plugged into sockets located as close as possible to the plants themselves. At the same time, it is important to isolate the room, since the liquid in the fumigator is quite harmful to people and animals.

Folk remedies for whiteflies

The easiest way to kill pests is to wipe the leaves of plants with a sponge and water. This method allows you to get rid of larvae and adults. But it is acceptable only for indoor plants. It is enough to wipe the leaves once a week to reduce the number of whiteflies. You can kill insects by lowering the air temperature in the room. But the eggs will not die, so this method must be repeated from time to time.

It is most effective to wipe the leaves of plants with a soapy solution. To prepare it, you need to take laundry soap and grate it on a fine grater. Then it must be dissolved in water in a proportion of 1 tbsp. l. soap for 6 tbsp. l. water. After that, beat the solution into a foam and wipe the leaves. You can also spray them with this liquid, but then you do not need to whip the foam. The main thing is that the solution does not get into the soil.

Excellent helps to destroy the whitefly infusion of garlic. To do this, take 3 small cloves of garlic, chop and immediately pour a liter of water. You need to insist for about a day in a dark place. Then the affected plants are sprayed with this liquid. From time to time, the procedure must be repeated.

You can get rid of insects with the help of tobacco. It is enough to grind a pack of strong cigarettes and pour a liter of water, only hot. Keep the infusion in a dark place for at least 5 days. Before use, the solution must be filtered. You need to spray the plants every few days until the whiteflies completely disappear.

Chemicals

Among all modern chemicals, the most effective in pest control are:

1. Aktara. It is enough to pour this solution on the root of the plant so that all insects die. All adults and larvae die due to the fact that the agent slightly poisons the plant sap. For the first time, this solution is better to make a little stronger than it is written in the instructions for the drug. It is absolutely safe for the flower, but the pest is guaranteed to disappear. If the flower is damaged very badly, you can spray it with Actara. This must be done 3 times in a row with a break of a week.
2. Confidor. Usually, one watering is enough to completely destroy pests. The product must be diluted according to the instructions and watered the root of the plant. You can replace Confidor with drugs such as Admir, Appleud and Kopfidor.
3. Akarin. This is an excellent remedy not only for whiteflies, but also for most other plant pests. They need to spray the plants, preferably only places where insects accumulate. Akarin acts both through the juice of the plant and in direct contact with insects.
4. Spark. The drug is available in the form of tablets, liquid, powder and sticks. They need to water infected plants. The advantage of Iskra is that it lasts for 20-25 days. Therefore, one spraying is quite enough.

After the plant has been treated with a chemical agent, it can be placed in a bag and tied. You need to keep it for at least 1-2 hours for the drug to work more effectively. Then the plant must be washed well under a strong stream of water and put in place.

Some experienced gardeners recommend using a more extreme method, in which the plant is completely immersed in a chemical solution for 5 minutes. Then it also needs to be washed thoroughly. Garden plants are sprayed with these preparations 3 times in a row with a break of 7-10 days.

Prevention measures

The fight against such a pest as the whitefly can last all summer. Therefore, in order to prevent the appearance of insects in the garden or garden, you need to take preventive measures. For example, when planting seedlings of tomatoes or other vegetable crops in a greenhouse, you need to provide it with good ventilation.

The air temperature should not exceed 15–16°C. The greenhouse needs to be painted and the entire area cleared of old grass. In winter, it is better to open the greenhouse so that it freezes well. And purchased seedlings should always be carefully checked for infection.

As for indoor plants, it is necessary:

• prevent stagnation of water in pallets;
• do not put flowerpots very close to each other;
• regularly do sanitary cleaning, removing dry leaves, cutting shoots, etc .;
• often ventilate the room in which the plants are located;
• when buying a new houseplant, it is necessary to quarantine it for at least a week;
• wash the plant from time to time and wipe the leaves, if there are no contraindications to this.

And remember, if the soil for planting is mixed on its own, all components must undergo mandatory sterilization!

If the whitefly infects the plant, then getting rid of it will not be easy. Insect eggs are very difficult to destroy, and insects multiply and spread quickly. Therefore, at the first detection of the whitefly, it is necessary to take urgent measures to destroy it.

Video: fight against whitefly

Houseplant lovers, no matter how well and properly they take care of houseplants, sooner or later they encounter pests such as whiteflies, thrips and spider mites.

Houseplants

Insects cause a lot of trouble and, if not dealt with, will destroy plants. If a whitefly started up on indoor plants, how to deal with an annoying insect so as not to harm the household and cure the flowers?

How to deal with whiteflies on houseplants

The whitefly is a small insect with a body length of no more than 2-2.5 mm. White pollen on the wings of the pest resembles flour in structure. They settle on the inside of the leaf, laying eggs there. After 8-10 days, larvae emerge from the eggs. To fight the larvae, which go through 4 stages in their development, you need to know that they are not so easy to wash off with water, because the larvae are attached to the leaf with a white sticky mixture.

whitefly medications

The fight against larvae and adults should include complex treatment, since their life cycle is different from each other. First of all, it is recommended to hit the intestinal system of whiteflies with chemicals. In this way, mass destruction of plants can be reduced. The weapons of mass destruction include Aktara, Admiral, Kinmiks. All preparations are diluted strictly in accordance with the instructions and sprayed with indoor plants.

Whitefly on a houseplant

To speed up the process of getting rid of insects, you can spill an earthen lump with a solution of drugs. This can be done with pelargoniums. After the solution enters the soil, the root system absorbs the entire chemical composition, which is subsequently saturated with the vegetative parts of the plant. The whitefly feeds on the juice of "poisoned" plants and dies. As an aggressive component, it is better to use Aktara.

Everyone knows that the whitefly reproduces very quickly and produces large offspring. In case of mass damage, one spraying will not be enough. You need to do it a little differently. When inspecting the plant for damage, it is necessary to cut off all damaged leaves, rinse the entire flower under running water, and only then treat it with an insecticide. In case of mass defeat, "Komfidor", "Talstar" are used, which are also bred in accordance with the instructions.

Sometimes only one specific preparation is missing, since whiteflies, their larvae and laid eggs can be found on the same plant at the same time. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out the treatment with complex means three times with an interval of 7 days.

Depending on the type of plants, you will have to choose a specific drug. For example, in order to destroy the whitefly on fuchsia, in addition to using chemical preparations, it will be necessary to use mechanical means: to catch insects with an adhesive tape that is used to catch flies, from time to time to wash the foliage under running water.

How to get rid of whitefly folk remedies

If single individuals are found, garlic tincture will come to the rescue. To prepare it, you will need to grind 100 g of garlic, boil 500 ml of water and pour the chopped agent. To make the infusion concentrated, you will need to insist in a dark place for a week. A concentrated infusion is not suitable for spraying, it can lead to leaf burns. To reduce the percentage, you will need to dilute the solution with water at a percentage of 5 g per 1 liter of water.

In case of mass infection, one garlic - “there is no warrior in the field”, dandelion will come to the rescue. You will need to take fresh dandelion leaves weighing 50 g, roots - 40 g, chop and put in a container. Pour 1 liter of boiled water and let stand for 2 hours. Before use, the product must be filtered. If one treatment is not enough, the second is carried out 7 days after the first.

In addition to the treatment with infusion of garlic and dandelion, it is important to use additional means of struggle. A good effect was shown by the use of laundry soap. You will need to dissolve the soap in water, after rubbing it on a grater, moisten a rag in the resulting solution and wipe the leaves of the plants with it.

You need to wipe the underside of the leaf, since it is from below that colonies of whiteflies settle.

Wonder Trap

Whiteflies, unlike other pests, love the color yellow. It is desirable to take this fact into account and direct it against the insects themselves. As an additional tool, you need to hang traps, both for flies and handmade ones.

To make a miracle trap, you need to take a strip of cardboard, grease it with something sticky yellow, such as petroleum jelly, rosin, resin or castor oil. The smell, of course, is unpleasant, but in this way pests can be dealt with.

Prevention

To reduce the likelihood of whiteflies appearing on indoor plants, it is not recommended to bring bouquets of flowers made from garden plants into the house, since in the summer the whitefly appears in the house in this way.

Inspection of a flower from a store

It is clear that one cannot do without airing the room, but insects fly into the house through the window, so the windows must be protected. When buying a new plant in a flower shop, it is important to carefully inspect it for unexpected guests, and in the house to put it separately from other indoor flowers so that it adapts.

How to detect thrips on indoor plants

At home, you can notice thrips on indoor plants: how to deal with small insects that settle on violets, ficuses, citrus fruits, begonias and roses and their population is more than 2000 varieties?

You can recognize thrips by description. These are small pests with an elongated yellow body. Sometimes you can meet individuals with a dark brown and black body. Adult specimens have a pair of wings.
The larvae are rather small in size, with a body length not exceeding 1 mm. To understand that these are thrips, you can take a good look at him, they jump. There are minor differences between males and females, and they lie in the fact that females look slimmer and their body is shorter than that of males.

They settle on the vegetative parts of plants, feed on juice from leaves, stems of flowers. The danger lies in the fact that they multiply rapidly. After laying eggs, after 10 days numerous colonies of pests appear. But they become adults after a month.

Thrips on indoor flowers

You can understand that thrips are present on plants by discolored areas on the foliage. In addition, all foliage will be strewn with through punctures - black dots. Brown and dark spots will be clearly visible on the lower part of the leaf plate.

In the process of life, thrips leave behind sticky secretions, which not only spoil the appearance of the plant, but are also a breeding ground for the development of fungal diseases.

How to get rid of thrips on houseplants

It is very difficult to fight with thrips, he will not give up so easily, you need to be prepared for this.
Getting rid of the pest should begin with hygiene procedures. First you need to inspect all instances of indoor flowers for infection with thrips. Sick plants will have to be moved to the bathroom and rinsed thoroughly in the shower.

With a massive defeat, you will first have to remove all adults, this can be done with a vacuum cleaner. Next, you need to get rid of the larvae, they can be removed with cotton swabs. On examination, you will have to remove all damaged foliage, cut flowers. If a large part is damaged, you will have to completely cut the stem to a healthy part.

During pest control, first of all, it is necessary to cut off all the flowers, without sparing, since most of the adults settle in them, because flowers are liked not only by people, but also by insects.

In addition, the plant spends a lot of energy on flowering, which means that, spending energy, a weakened flower may soon die. Chemical treatment affects the flowers, and they lose their attractiveness. After processing, you will need to remove the plant from the old pot, transplant into new soil. The place where the flower stood will also need to be treated with chemicals.

Preparatory measures will not free from pests, it is necessary to apply insecticide treatment.
To combat thrips, Aktelik, Fitoverm and Agravertin are used. In order for "Fitoverm" to give a positive result, you need to know that spraying with a diluted agent is effective only at room temperatures above + 20 ° C. For a better result, you can add a drop of liquid soap or shampoo to the solution. In addition to these drugs, you can use "Intavir", "Karate", "Confidor". The treatment should be repeated after 1 week.

Thrips develop when the soil is kept dry for a long time. To prevent the appearance of insects, it is required to regularly check the soil and water as needed.
Plants love the shower, so you need to give them a rain bath more often. Sticky tapes can be hung near flower pots, which will allow you to catch insects that accidentally enter the house.

How to detect a tick

The insect is so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye, except perhaps under a microscope. At first, it is impossible to understand that a tick has appeared on the plant. Only after some time on the underside of the foliage you can see a thin silver cobweb. Over time, the whole plant will be wrapped in this cobweb.

Settling on a plant, the mite pierces the leaf with its thin and long proboscis and sucks out all the nutrients and juice from the flowers. The area around the puncture eventually becomes discolored or acquires a yellow tint. Over time, many points merge together and form a continuous dark spot.
Punctures lead to diseases of the plant, it weakens and may die. Ticks are especially fond of young leaves and shoots. Almost all indoor plants suffer from ticks: roses, violets, fuchsias, ficuses, hibiscuses.

Many flower growers are afraid to carry out mite treatment on plants with fleecy leaves. Do not be afraid, as all types of indoor flowers respond well to chemical treatment.

How to fight at home

Spider flare wound up on indoor plants: how to deal with if insects are among those pests that quickly get used to a certain type of acaricide. That is, if spraying with one preparation is carried out, then the next generation of ticks will have a stable immunity to the chemical agent. Therefore, during processing, it is necessary to constantly alternate acaricides.

Ticks love low humidity along with high room temperatures. This environment is favorable for their reproduction. A special peak in the increase in the population occurs in the summer months, when the weather is hot.

Decorative fountain among indoor flowers

Many flower growers for preventive purposes recommend frequently spraying the foliage of plants. However, practice has shown that frequent spraying does not give a positive result, since water evaporates very quickly from the leaves. A way out can be found if you buy artificial air humidifiers: decorative fountains. If the family budget is limited, you can independently increase the humidity in the room by placing saucers with water near the plants or hanging batteries with wet towels. In conditions of high humidity, the tick population will not increase at such a rate.

Plants need a hot shower, but on one condition that it will be short-lived. It will not harm the flowers, but it will scald the ticks. The water temperature during processing should be within + 45-48 ° C. When arranging a hot shower, you need to try to get a stream of water on the underside of the leaves.

Ways to fight on flowers

Biological, chemical and folk methods of dealing with harmful insects are common among flower growers.

Biological

Under natural conditions, the threat to the spider mite is phytoseiulus - a large mite. It is clear that at home it is impossible to breed another individual, but it can be used if indoor plants are grown in crop farms.

Chemical

The spider mite quickly gets used to the drugs, so the fight with insecticides will not bring the desired result, you will have to use acaricides:

Contact acaricides are the most suitable for home control of mites.

There are many different ways to control pests. And first of all, the preparation of solutions is based on odorous plants. But the use of folk remedies is not always effective, pests still continue to multiply rapidly.