Whiteflies

Whitefly (Aleyrodidae) adults are small insects averaging 1 to 3 mm in length with two pairs of mealy-white wings held in a roof-like position over the body. Whiteflies differ from scales in that both sexes are winged and motile as adults and they restrict their feeding to foliage. Population increases generally coincide with a new flush of foliage on trees. Whiteflies damage citrus by removing sap from leaves during feeding and by secreting large amounts of honeydew upon which black sooty mold grows. Photosynthesis can be substantially reduced in trees with extensive amounts of sooty mold. Several species of whiteflies occur in Texas citrus, including the citrus blackfly, the citrus whitefly, the woolly whitefly and the cloudy-winged whitefly.