White Fly Traps

[CHILLIN]

We have had quite a few white flies in the garden - time to set up traps. Something bright yellow, which you cover with something sticky, like honey, then wash off the dead flies in the sink, recoat with honey. Then this story takes a turn for the worse. Stopped at a 7/11 - brilliant new plan! Pacifico beer cans are bright yellow, stock up on a lot of trap building material. Well into production, dishus great (hic), can't wait to tell the gardeners about my remarkable innovation! Empty Pacifico cans, coated with honey, on a stick, all over the garden. Two days later, not even one dead whitefly, and the honey attracts bees and wasps, for which Ms. Chillin has a phobia. Tomorrow our gardener will turn up, scratching his head as to why there are beer cans on sticks all over the garden. He will definitely add this to his "things my gringo said or did today" list. This is only adds to my embarrassment last week giving him a sample of Peppermint Foot Cream, I said "crema de pedo" instead of "crema de pies" - one means fart cream, the other means foot cream. Then I found out today that Ms. Chillin has a 10 inch high stack of bright yellow card stock. No need for washing. I have to see now if Laura at the Garden Center has Tanglefoot paste or something like it. But in the end, white flies be sure, humans are going to win.

[Willie]

instead of honey, try Vaseline...worked for us for years when applied to a yellow painted paint stir stick.....you can hang it with a string or wire.

[Jabonera]

If worse comes to worse & you have too many whiteflies to trap, you can always use tobacco tea...  For things that don't attract bees, of course.

The main drawback is that it kills whatever kind of bug & is not species specific.

The main benefit is that it WORKS...

[CHILLIN]

I think I am finally on top of this. I used a recipe from Old Farmer's Almanac - 2 parts rubbing alcohol, 5 parts water, 1 Tablespoon dish soap (not anti bacterial or extra bleach). Spray the plants morning and evening, making sure you get under the leaves. Careful not to leave on leaves - full sun is very hot right now.

The second part, kills the larvae, and also gives your plants a dose of oxygen which they enjoy. 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide 3% (check very carefully on the bottle, I have some 11% as well), 3 parts water, wait until your plants are dry to about 1.5 to 2 inches down, then pour enough solution to wet this upper layer, the soil will actually bubble and boil - but don't worry. Water later.

The yellow vaseline traps worked a little bit. This works on the whitefly I have, which seems to like the soil, but does not leave any scale under the leaves. The affected plants are generally very healthy. Whitefly also spread spider mites.