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South Florida?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s invasive and destructive Spiraling Whitefly gives opportunity for extra revenue to arborists and landscapers.
Aleurodicus rugioperculatus; better known as the spiraling whitefly has invaded Broward and Miami-Dade counties of South Florida leaving residents and business owners in a frenzy. The fly received its name from the distinctive spiral pattern of eggs and waxy white film it deposits on the backs of leaves. It also excretes a sticky liquid waste known as ?EUR??,,????'?????<?honeydew?EUR??,,????'?????<? which is colonized by a black fungus called sooty mold and can accumulate on objects beneath infested trees. This has been known to damage cars, patio furniture and grills, stains sidewalks and impairs the chlorination of swimming pools. Additional damage caused by the spiraling whitefly includes plant decline, defoliation, and branch dieback.
Although the spiraling whitefly?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s original meal of choice was the gumbo limbo, over 60 plant and tree species have been added to the list (for a in-depth look, see below). According to Dr. Catherine Mannion, Professor at the University of Florida, ?EUR??,,????'?????<?There is always a risk of invasive pests spreading to new areas. We have a large ornamental industry that ships plants throughout the state and country and when there is an outbreak in the landscape it puts our nurseries at risk of getting the pest and then potentially being shipped to other areas.?EUR??,,????'?????<? The spiraling whitefly comes from a tropical area, most likely Mexico or Central America; therefore they are not likely to survive cold winters.
Treatment options include soil drenching, spraying and tree trunk injections. Things to consider when choosing a treatment are weather conditions and surroundings. Soil drenching is not effective during severe drought conditions or flooding and spraying does not work during the rainy season. However, both are the best options for treating shrubs and plants. A treatment option for trees that is effective during inclement weather conditions is tree trunk injections. They quickly eliminate spiraling whitefly and are an environmentally responsible option since the insecticide is injected into a tree?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s vascular system instead of being released into the soil, air or surrounding bodies of water.
What the Spiraling Whitefly Eats:
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Copperleaf
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Sugar apple
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Norfolk island pine
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Black olive
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Gumbo limbo
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Calophyllumspecies
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Madagascar periwinkle
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Cocoplum
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Satinleaf
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Coconut palm
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Buttonwood
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Hawaiian ti
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Hurricane palm
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Areca palm
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Eugeniaspp
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Strangler fig
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Edible fig
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Spindle palm
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Mango
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Manilkara roxburghiana
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Wax myrtle
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Banana
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Virginia creeper
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Avocado
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Pygmy Date palm
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Live oak
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Sabalpalm
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Brazilian pepper
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Simaroubaglauca
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Smilax auriculata
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Spondiassp
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Spondiaspurpurea
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????White bird of paradise
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Bird of paradise
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Tabebuiaspecies
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Tropical almond
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Veitchiaspecies
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Washingtonia palm
?EUR??,,????'?????<???????Zeuxinestrateumatica
Raleigh, North Carolina
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
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