Whitefly Control Use:

*Encarsia formosa

*Eretmocerus ermicus

Encarsia formosa is a tiny parasitic wasp that will lay 50 to 100 eggs into greenhouse whitefly larvae. They work best if ordered as soon the first whitefly is seen in the greenhouse. Usually there to four introductions, one to two weeks apart, at the rate of one per sq.ft. will establish them.

Additional introductions may be necessary if whitefly persist. Be sure to use yellow sticky traps to monitor whitefly populations.

  ** NOTE: If you determine whiteflies in your greenhouse, it is important to identify the specific type. The more familiar Greenhouse Whitefly is very successfully controlled by the beneficial wasp, encarsia formosa. Sweet Potato Whitefly and Silver leaf Whitefly are more effectively controlled by eretmocerus ermicus, which is also recommended for Greenhouse Whiteflies in the summer when temperatures in the greenhouse are higher.