Silverleaf whitefly on cucumber
In greenhouse cucumber the Swirski mite has suppressed this whitefly strongly. It eats the eggs and young nymphs, can breed on pollen (UF/IFAS), and takes thrips in the same crop. Older scales and adults are left for a parasitoid such as Eretmocerus, and UConn reports that the two together beat either alone on poinsettia. The mite needs warmth (Koppert: not effective below 64 °F / 18 °C), and Koppert says not to use it on tomato.
At a glance
- Damage
- Virus spread, uneven tomato ripening, silvered squash leaves
- Type
- Sap feeding · virus vector
- Settings
- Under glass, Field, Garden
- Threshold
- Release preventively or at the first whitefly
- Release
- Amblyseius swirskii
- Rate
- 25–100 /m² per release (UF/IFAS range)
How to confirm it
Smaller and yellower than greenhouse whitefly, with the wings held tent-like and a small gap between them along the back. The pupae under the leaves are yellowish, slope down to the leaf and have no long wax fringe.
Identification, lifecycle, degree days and every control option are on the full Silverleaf whitefly profile. Not sure it is this pest? Answer four questions about the damage.
Work it out
How many do I need?
Carries Amblyseius swirskii and cucumber through so nothing is re-entered. Open the calculator →