The Ficus Whitefly Profile and Management

There is a new pest attacking ficus trees and hedges in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida. This pest was identified as the fig (ficus) whitefly, Singhiella simplex, and is a new US continental record. Whiteflies are small, winged insects that belong to the Order Hemiptera which also includes aphids, scales, mealybugs, and bugs. These insects typically feed on the underside of leaves with their “needle-like” mouthparts. Whiteflies can seriously injure host plants by sucking ju... Read More..

Ficus Whitefly Destroying Privacy Hedges

What is the most abundant hedge shrub in south Florida? Most would unarguably say weeping ficus (Ficus benjamina)! What if this dominant, green-wall, King-of-Hedgery was dethroned and attacked by an insect which caused severe defoliation? Hedges become see-through and street noises are at your front door? What if they died? That isn’t a happy scenario for privacy hedges, but it is happening already in central and west Miami. Read More..

Serious Threat to South Florida - Ficus (Fig) Whitefly

The Ficus Whitefly has become a serious threat to South Florida and is costing homeowners an enormous amount of money with damage to hedges. This tiny pest needs to be identified and eliminated early to avoidsuch costly repairs to landscape. Here are just a few examples of the injury that the Ficus Whitefly can cause to hedges and trees. Read More..

Latest News - Insects Found Attacking Ficus Whitefly Pest

To date, field investigators have found five lady beetle species, 2 parasitic wasps and green lacewings attacking the whitefly in Florida. Damage by other landscape-attacking insects pales in comparison to this new invader. The ficus whitefly arrived in the Miami Rover area in late 2007. It was confirmed in Naples for the first time in January 2009 at several addresses in the Shirley Street area. Read More..

Fig Whiteflies Attacking Ficus Hedges and Trees

Non-native ficus hedges and trees are under attack by fig whiteflies . First observed in Homestead in 2007, fig whiteflies have since spread through Miami/Dade County and north to Broward County, leaving a wide path of defoliation along streets and property lines. A loss of leaves is the most obvious symptom of a whitefly infestation. Researchers at the University of Florida report that whiteflies are seriously injuring host plants by sucking juices from them, which causes wilting,... Read More..

Ficus Whitefly Alert

In late September 2007, many ficus trees & shrubs suddenly began to defoliate. This damage is a result of a newly introduced species of Whitefly usually found in India, China and Burma, where it’s considered a major pest. Likely arriving by ship in the Miami River Area since it has not been reported in the Caribbean, this pest has the potential to decimate many trees and shrubs as well as causing enormous financial harm to nursery industry. Further native figs or other plants could also be ... Read More..

Using Pesticides Safely

This article is oriented toward people who use pesticides in or around their homes. If you job involves pesticides or may result in pesticide exposure (for example, you harvest crops in a field where pesticides were used), please see the Worker Safety and Training page. Safely using pesticides depends on using the appropriate pesticide and using it correctly. The label on the pesticide container provides instructions for use of the pesticide. It also includes warnings that are intended ... Read More..

Advice and Resources on Ficus Whitefly