Whitefly parasitoid for greenhouse whitefly
Greenhouse whitefly is the host this wasp is sold for, and it works best on long crops such as tomato and cucumber — UMass describes it as most effective in crops grown for more than four months. Hang cards weekly from the first whitefly and keep going until 80–90 % of the scales on the lower leaves have turned black. On hairy-leaved tomato varieties it searches poorly, and below a 17 °C daily average Koppert warns control may be insufficient.
Before you order
Released weekly on cards from planting or the first whitefly; parasitised greenhouse whitefly scales turn black. How it works, how to tell it has established and the supplier list are on the full Encarsia formosa profile.
How many do I need?
Area and infestation level in; quantity, cost and a weekly schedule out. Open the calculator →
Pesticide sensitivity
Check anything applied in the last month before releasing. Check a product →
Other controls for greenhouse whitefly
- Amblyseius swirskiiPredatory mite · 25–100 /m² per release (UF/IFAS range), or sachets
- Eretmocerus eremicusWhitefly parasitoid · 1–10 /m² per release, weekly
- Delphastus catalinaePredatory ladybird · 10 per infested plant or 100 per hot spot, weekly for 3–4 weeks
- Big-eyed bugsWild predator · wild, attract it
- Dicyphus hesperusPredatory bug · 500 per acre (Arbico); a Canadian trial released 1.25 adults per plant, three weeks after the whitefly
- Beauveria bassiana strain GHAMicrobial insecticide (fungus) · Label rate — ½–1 qt per 100 gal (BotaniGard ES / Mycotrol ES) or ½–1 lb (22WP)