How To Keep Whiteflies Away From Your Port St. Lucie Property
Many local property owners make efforts to improve and beautify their outdoor areas by planting flowers, creating gardens, and other ways of enhancing the natural environment. One of the unwanted pests that often invade nice landscapes is whiteflies, which are very small winged insects that slightly resemble moths, and appear in shades of white or yellow. More than 70 different species are estimated to exist statewide; however, the Ficus whitefly and the Spiraling whitefly are among the most common.
Whiteflies tend to be most active during the day in the mid to late summer months, gathering in groups to consume leaves on Ficus hedges and palm trees. Many types of whiteflies also attack vegetable gardens containing peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, cabbage, and sweet potatoes. These pests are among the most difficult to control, and identifying their presence early on is important to prevent significant damage to your lawn.
The Damage Caused By Whiteflies
The female whiteflies can generate hundreds of eggs in only a week or two, which allows these problems to quickly worsen. Whiteflies reduce the nutrients in plants by extracting juices, and leave a sticky honeydew residue that results in fungal disease that further harms vegetation. The fungi often develop into a sooty mold that is a dark, grimy material that covers plants.
Challenges Of Eliminating Whiteflies
The ability for whiteflies to reproduce so rapidly, and often survive pesticide treatment, makes it difficult to banish these completely. Some tips for preventing them include:
- Whiteflies have some natural predators, such as spiders, ladybugs, dragonflies, hummingbirds, and certain types of wasps. Therefore, making the environment more attractive to these creatures is helpful in limiting the population.
- Install reflective mulch in the spring or early summer months to create lighting that makes it difficult for whiteflies to navigate their way.
- Consider placing yellow poster board sheets in areas of the garden that are coated with petroleum jelly. Whiteflies are commonly attracted to the yellow color, and will become entrenched in the jelly.
- Promptly remove leaves that you notice have already been damaged by these pests.
- Regularly use a garden hose to spray down the plants, and repel whiteflies and their eggs positioned on the leaves.
Should I Contact A Professional Pest Extermination Company?
In response to problems with whiteflies, many property owners will purchase mass-marketed do-it-yourself home treatment options from local stores and internet retailers, such as sticky traps, UV lighting devices, and bug zappers that are marketed as being a viable solution for quickly and effectively eradicating these pests. In most cases, these products result in very mediocre success that simply prolongs the problem, and creates further frustration.
The best course of action is to speak with a seasoned professional pest controller that will conduct a detailed inspection, assess the nature and extent of the problem, and propose the most suitable treatment options. The technicians at Native Pest Management also use many of the latest products and methods for expelling these and other pests from the premises using eco-friendly products that ensure safety.
Leading Pest Control Specialists In Port St. Lucie
The team of licensed professionals with Native Pest Management has been delivering results for residential and commercial customers in the Port St. Lucie region for many years that are struggling with ants, mosquitoes, rodents, termites, and many other unwanted pests. We also maintain a commitment to providing the highest-quality customer service in the industry, and stand behind the quality of our work with a satisfaction guarantee.
Contact our office today for a complimentary onsite inspection and no-obligation estimate. Remember to inquire about our customized year-round pest protection plans and lawn care services that involve monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly treatment visits and will keep the property free of pests! Our whitefly control services will take care of your problem in no time.