White fly explosion

[og dmc]

For the second time in as many grows I had a overwhelming increase in the number of white flies about midway through flowering. I had been spraying with safers insect soap in veg and it seemed like they were under control. But now they are shiting on every thing and fucking things up . What is the best way to get rid of these fuckers?

 

[Guest]

You should be using a systemic like neem.

 

[Huey69]

I grow outdoors, and I've found neem oil to work sufficient on Whiteflies. I still have a few here and there, but they don't cause damage and spraying every once in a while keeps them at bay. Get some neem and spray both sides of the leaves every 5-7 days, and that should help...

 

[Saibai]

Yeah, white flies have been increasing on my outdoor grow, too.
The surrounding vegetation is pretty badly infested, but my plants aren't hit too bad, only about 2-3 on each plant.
I've been using neem which seems to help, I'm tempted to spray them with some chem. spray but I'd really rather keep ot 100% organic...I might just spray the surrounding area and just use neem on the actual plants. Bastards.

btw, I've never let them get out of control before...what do they eventually do? How do they end up screwing up the plants? Do they eat them?

EDIT: I'm going to try rubbing some undiluted neem oil directly onto the stems, as this is where the whiteflies seem to live. It can be hard to get them when spraying, they tend to hide.

 

[og dmc]

They shit a sticky film all over the plant, its like a honey dew and it provides the perfect environment for mold. My plants are about 7 wks into flowering so I dont think I can spray anything on them. I am just using a shit load of yellow traps right now. I personally think iinsecticidal soap works well if they are in veg. Problem is one or two in veg turn into thousands in flowering. The most effective spray i have used is the canola oil and pyrethins, but some plants are sensitive to it, and it is expensive when treating a large crop.

 

[Guest]

You can hurl some diatomaceous earth at it/'em.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

You should be using a systemic like neem.

dude need ISNT a systemic. neem will discourage them, but not kill them. ive been battling them until i got a couple pyrithium bombs.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

You should be using a systemic like neem.

dude neeM ISNT a systemic.

neem will discourage them, but not kill them; ateast in any signifigant(sp?) # ...

ive been battling them until i got a couple pyrithium bombs.
- one on the first available night.

- next one a few days after that, say 4-6 days later.

the first one will get 95-99% depending on conditions, the second kills the remaining group before they get too RE-infested

 

[Guest]

NEEM AS A SYSTEMIC SOIL DRENCH


Once it get's into the plant, it's going to discourage them from feeding, and if they aren't feeding, they are dying. When you consider their short lifespan, neem registers as an effective treatment, and even better preventative.

I use Dyna-Gro pure neem oil; it has always worked for me.

 

[og dmc]

Soil Drench. It wont adversly affect plant health?

 

[LokiBC]

I've never heard of using neem as a systemic, but when I've used it as a spray, it stinks pretty badly. Like garlic/onion breath. I wouldn't want to smoke anything that smelled like that.

Loki

 

[Guest]

Soil Drench. It wont adversly affect plant health?

No harm unless you mix it too hot or add too much soap/emulsifier. All the info I've read state the effect lasts for 7-10 days.

I usually only use it (as a foliar spray) 4 times, 5 days apart on well establish plants, then give 'em the same routine in early flower to hopefully keep 'em bug free until harvest. I do soil drenches when I want to off any fungus gnats. I know a lot of people use it once a week. It does stink like peanut butter or something similar so I don't wanna be smoking on this stuff any time soon.

Here's a tidbit from a link on the first page of the search that I posted earlier: http://froebuck.home.texas.net/toppage2.htm

Neem Oil Alert: Neem oil products are becoming increasingly popular with organic gardeners. And they can be quite effective for controlling both insect pests and fungal diseases. But researchers at Washington State University have found that neem oil extract is lethal to ladybug larvae and will sterilize or severely reduce the egg-laying capacity of adults for as long as 10 days after application. Therefore, each gardener must now reconsider the use of some of the neem oil products in an organic program.

Furthermore, Montana State University has placed the following advisory on their website:

"Neem has some systemic activity when applied as a foliar spray, but it seems to work better as a soil drench, absorbed by the plant roots. It is not known how effective neem drenches are for large ornamentals and trees, so drenches are usually recommended for smaller plants. Alkaline soils...reduce the effectiveness of neem drenches."

 

[Saibai]

http://www.curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=977244

Neem oil: Not just for keeping bugs of your plants!

 

[Guest]

OH SHIT! I don't have to pull out no mo'!?!

 

[og dmc]

Oh thats wonderfull! In the meantime, those white flies fucked my crop up bad, took it down a week early. I wont plant again until those fuckers are gone for good.

 

[RoastedO]

whiteflies suck.......

heres some info I found on them...

Whitefly Control

Description: Common on houseplants and in greenhouses, the whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) is a sap-sucking insect that is often found in thick crowds on the undersides of leaves. When infested plants are disturbed, great clouds of the winged adults fly into the air. Both nymphs and adults damage plants by sucking the juices from new growth causing stunted growth, leaf yellowing, and reduced yields. Plants become weak and susceptible to disease.

Like aphids, whiteflies secrete honeydew, so leaves maybe sticky or covered with a black sooty mold. They are also responsible for transmitting several plant viruses. In southern and coastal states, this pest will be found year-round in outdoor gardens. In northern areas year-round infestations are possible only indoors. Host plants include more than 250 ornamental and vegetable plants. Citrus, squash, poinsettia, potato, cucumber, grape, tomato, and hibiscus are commonly infested.

Whitefly adults (1/16 inch long) are moth-like insects with powdery white wings and short antenna. They are easily recognized and often found near the tops of plants or on stem ends. Wingless nymphs are flattened, oval and almost scale-like in appearance. After the first instar, or crawler stage, they settle down and attach themselves to the underside of leaves and begin feeding.

Life Cycle: Whitefly nymphs overwinter on the leaves of host plants. In late spring adult females deposit 200-400 eggs in circular clusters on the undersides of upper leaves. The eggs hatch in 5-10 days and first instar nymphs, which resemble small mealybugs and are called crawlers, move a short distance from the egg before flattening themselves against the leaf to feed. The remaining nymphal stages (2nd, 3rd and 4th) do not move. A non-feeding pupal stage follows and within a week, young adults emerge to repeat the cycle. There are many generations per year. Whiteflies develop from egg to adult in approximately 25 days at room temperature. Adults may live for one to two months.

Note: All of the immature stages are easily overlooked. They are usually pale, almost translucent, and blend with the color of the leaf to which they are attached. Superficially they are similar to several scale insects.

Whitefly Control: Yellow sticky traps are helpful for monitoring and suppressing adult populations. If found, use the Bug Blaster or hose off plants with a strong stream of water to reduce pest numbers. Natural predators of this pest include ladybugs and lacewing, which feed on their eggs and the whitefly parasite which destroys nymphs and pupae. For best results, make releases when pest levels are low to medium. If populations are high, use a least-toxic, short-lived natural pesticide to establish control, then release predatory insects to maintain control. Insecticidal soap, neem oil, and botanical insecticides can be used to spot treat heavily infested areas. Spot treat with insecticidal soap or botanical insecticides if population become intolerable.

Tip: Insecticidal control can be difficult because the insect is resistant to many synthetic insecticides. However, horticultural oils, which work by smothering insects, are very effective on all stages of this pest.

Note: Ants feed on the honeydew that sucking insects produce and will protect these pests from their natural enemies. An application of Tanglefoot Pest Barrier to the stalks of roses and other woody plants will help keep ants away.

I've been taking the Neem foliar and Gnatrol in the soil approach but its not taken em out totally...


All the best,
RO

 

[Tommy G]

Hi friends!

Very useful thread, no doubt about it, but I still have a question that I haven't seen answered anywhere in the forums...

Are the corpses, eggs and excrements of the white fly an issue to human health?

I gave up the fight in mid flowering and all I need to know is how safe it is for me to smoke flowers which are a bit sticky (not as much as the leaves, but they still have some eggs and excrements on them for sure).

I know it is not an easy question to answer, so I thank everybody in advance!

Good gardens, nice smokes

.

 

[highallthetime]

Replies: 36
Whitefly Infestation
Views: 857
Here might be a good idea. Get you a shot glass...

Here might be a good idea. Get you a shot glass fill it 3/4 way full with white vintager and add just 2 drops of dawn dish soap. Place this glass somewhere near by your plants. Watch that glass fill...

Works just fine for me. No other bug's at the moment or has been.
Sticky This

 

[Tommy G]

My question is still unanswered after reading the whole thread that you advice.

But thanks anyway, there are some important infos to get from it.

Stay cool, good smokes!


.

 

[DEATH BY SNUSNU]

[quote
Here might be a good idea. Get you a shot glass...

Here might be a good idea. Get you a shot glass fill it 3/4 way full with white vintager and add just 2 drops of dawn dish soap. Place this glass somewhere near by your plants. Watch that glass fill...

Works just fine for me. No other bug's at the moment or has been.
Sticky This [/QUOTE]

Hmm sounds worth the try, these things are the worst. Kinda like if spider mites could flutter away.....