@Dan Hogberg: Based on the severity of the problem, I suggest a 1-2 punch. The first step is to spray a mixture of Bifen and Nylar onto any non-edible tree and plant you want to protect. These can be mixed together in the same tank and applied with a Pump Sprayer or Hose End Sprayer. Odorless and very effective on White Flies.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Nylar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

Pump Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/good/pump-sprayers

Hose End Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/sprayers/gilmour-20g-390

And since these trees can grow so large, you should also apply Merit. This is a systemic that’s get applied to the soil. Using this process the product will grow “into” the treated tree and adversely affect any pest that tries to feed off the plant. Now you could use the Merit alone as both a systemic and spray but it costs a lot more compared to the Bifen. So in general, using the Bifen will prove more efficient for spraying.

Merit WP: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/wettable-powder/merit-75-wp-2-oz

@Ed: You can use Talstar for both thrips and whiteflies. But definitely add the Spreader Sticker listed above. It will make the Talstar work 2-3 times as well.

Talstar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/talstar

Spreader Sticker: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/additive/spreader-sticker

@steve: You’ve got two options. The first is to use an “exempt” product which is considered to be a “low impact” type material perfect for sensitive areas. We’ve been selling one that works well for aphids and is actually labeled for use around ponds. It can be used this way because the active ingredients are a blend of plant oils. This makes it a lot less likely to contaminate anything a lot different from traditional pesticides. Basically they’re a lot safer. In fact, this one is even labeled for use on farm animals like horses. As you can imagine, anything labeled for use on animals has to undergo a lot of testing to make sure it’s safe enough for such uses and this is a sure confirmation.
In the past we’ve had customers use it for mosquitoes, aphids, whiteflies, roaches, grubs and other pests. For mosquitoes, it’s fogged and I recommend fogging for whiteflies too when they’re in trees that are too tall to spray efficiently. And fogging would pretty much eliminate the chance of any getting into the pond so it’s a perfect match for this situation. The product is ECO Exempt and can be seen here:

ECO IC: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/liquid/eco-excempt-gal

The second option would be to employ a systemic. These are products that work via the root system of plants and trees. In this case, I would mostly use it for the palms. Basically you’d inject this product into the soil around the trees you want to protect. Over the coming months it will “grow” into the sap of the tree where it impact the insects that feed on it. In this case, it will get the whiteflies. You can read more about it here:

Merit WP: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/wettable-powder/merit-75-wp-2-oz

In summary, these are two viable options. Both will work and both will be safe to use given the conditions you described. Good luck!

@Bob: Neem is a good active for organic gardeners that need to protect vegetable or fruit plants. That being said, there are a lot of Neem products that don’t perform well so be wary of which you try. We trust Neem Garden Concentrate seen here:

Neem: http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/garden-defense-neem-concentrate

So if you insist on using a Neem active, go with this version. But we really like the organic listings above and especially the Multipurpose Insect Killer. It too is approved for organic gardening but we’ve found it provides longer lasting residual and better results through the course of a season:

Multi Insect Killer: http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/concentrates/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

And of course, the Bifen will last even longer which in turn means it will be the least damaging to plants that can get stressed from too much spraying. Bifen is a water based concentrate and since you only use 1/3 to 1/2 oz per gallon of water, so little active is actually being used at any time. On top of this you only need to treat every 1-2 months because it lasts so long compared to the organics. This means you’ll be spraying a lot less and over time, this is the best treatment plan for any plant. Especially sensitive species.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Great question. Neither the Permethrin or Nylar will hurt plants at any stage. This is true even when it’s hot. But the Spreader Sticker can thwart or even burn budding flowers and new leaves when applied during excessive heat. If the temps are in the 60-80 degree range, there would be no problem. But once you get over 80 degrees, any part of the plant that’s new and green can be hurt due to the combination of the spreader sticker and direct sunlight. So our advice is real simple; don’t include the Spreader Sticker when it gets over 80 degrees. Good luck! I’m about to treat my neighbors white flies which have exploded on his Leyland Cypress. Thousands hatched out the past two days as it’s been very mild here in Georgia and if I don’t care of his, I know they will soon be “mine” too..

It does seem a bit rash to just start treating for white flies so maybe he’s seeing something you’re not? Regardless, here’s what I recommend whether you have white flies or not.

First and foremost, it’s imperative you test the soil PH to make sure it’s not askew. Mulch will many times drop a PH to levels that promote fungus, insect infestations as well as plant disease. A good article to read on this is here:

Soil PH: http://www.soil-ph.com/soil-ph

And a good PH Probe to know your soil PH is okay can be seen here:

PH Soil Probe: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/testing/phmoisturelight-probe

Once you know the PH is well within the acceptable range for the plants you’re growing, make sure you’re not suffocating the plants. Excessive mulch placed over roots – especially too close to where the plant comes up from the ground – can be a problem and for plants, fatal.

Next, consider treating the fungus. If it’s a mold or algae, Fungus and Moss Killer can be applied to the mulch and turf. It’s an organic spray that can many times help because it will reduce the food on which many pests will be feeding and by killing their food, you’ll cut down on how many are on your property.

Algae, Moss and Fungus Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/fungicide/mossalgae-killer-32oz-rts

But if it’s a true fungus, you’ll need the Daconil or other fungicide listed in our Lawn Fungus article here:

Lawn Fungus: http://www.bugspray.com/article/fungus.html

So what about the whiteflies? Once the ph is fine and the fungus has been treated, you can consider spraying for white flies or other pests with any of the products listed above in our whitefly article. And yes, Permethrin with some Nylar and Spreader Sticker would handle them but really, this should only be done if you’re seeing an active population. So if they’re not yet established, I’d recommend treating with some Dominion instead. This product is ideal when used before problems develop because it works as a systemic. This means you simply water it into the plant at it’s base. The root system of the plant will then absorb the active and if anything tries to feed on the plant like aphids, white flies, thrips, etc., they’ll die. This is much better for the plant in the long run and actually more effective compared to topical treatments. The only drawback is that it won’t work fast so you need to treat early in the season to get ahead of the pests.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Good luck and if you still have any questions, give us a call!

There is no specific time line for when a plant will succumb to insect damage and die. Most plants are more resilient than people realize but really, only time will tell if it will die or not. So if you want to try and keep it alive, here’s how to proceed.

First, removing the fungus by hand will help. This won’t get rid of it but it will provide “quick” relief for the plant and is suggested.

Second, spray with 3 In 1 Concentrate. This combines a fungicide and insecticide so you’ll be able to take care of both problems with one spray. Treat twice week till the problem is gone.

3 in 1 Spray: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/3-in-1-fungicide-miticide-insecticide

When it comes to herbs and other small plants, I believe if you can get control with the Insect Soap, that would be the better option in the long run because it’s so “gentle”. Think of it as being similar to Johnson’s Baby Shampoo in that it’s very gentle and won’t bother the plant at all. Unfortunately it’s the weakest by far and many times cannot handle white flies well enough to keep them under control. So if you have a bad problem or start with the Soap and find it not working, the 3 In 1 would be the next step up.

Insecticidal Soap: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/insecticidal-soap

3 in 1 Spray: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/3-in-1-fungicide-miticide-insecticide

Since you don’t mention how many vines you have and how many eggs have been found, I’ll suggest a few options one of which should do the job. Now whether they’re white flies, aphids or something else is pretty much impossible to tell without more information but really, this isn’t critical. What’s important is that your plant is being targeted by an insect and once those eggs hatch, chances are high the larval stage will be looking for a meal. So for now, you need to take some kind of action.

And the first course of action is to remove the eggs. So if you only have 1-2 vines and just 1-2 batches of eggs, removing them by hand would be both efficient and practical.

But if you have a lot of plants and feel removing them by hand is not a practical solution, then I suggest treating the ground with a systemic known as Dominion Fruit and Tree. This product is mixed with water and then poured into the ground around plants you want to protect. First you’ll need to make poke a bunch of holes around the plants with a rod or Staking Tool. Next, you’ll slowly pour the mixture into the holes making sure as much as possible leaks down into the ground around the plant. Over the next month the material will be absorbed by your plants and regardless of what the eggs turn out to be, if they attempt to eat the vegetation when they finally hatch out, they’ll die.

I also suggest monitoring the plants over the growing season and if you find anything starting to thrive on the plant, do a topical treatment too using the Insecticidal Soap or Multipurpose Insect Killer listed above.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

Staking Tool: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/tools/staking-tool-4

Insecticidal Soap: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/insecticidal-soap

Organic Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

If you review the specimen label for the systemic acting Dominion that works well on fruit and vegetable producing plants, you’ll see it varies from 7-21 days to harvest. Most people will start using it as early in the season as possible and if they time their applications right, will be able to do a treatment a month before the plant will yield anything edible yet still have protection in place without having to treat again before they can safely harvest it’s yield. The great thing about this product is that you only need use it once a season so you don’t have to “retreat” once it’s in the plants system.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

Personally I feel this is the best way to go about treating since it’s so easy, long lasting and effective. But if you prefer to spray or if you do something wrong with the Dominion treatment and don’t get the desired results (meaning you still have a lingering problem), you can always spray any of the plants with our organic options. These sprays are effectively “gone” within one day (they have just 1 day to harvest), are approved for organic gardening and do not pose a hazard to anyone consuming the crop yield of treated plants. The gentlest organic spray would be Insecticidal Soap; the one we find works best is the Multipurpose Insect Killer.

Soap: Insect Soap: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/insecticidal-soap

Organic Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

@Michelle: If you’re not harvesting any fruit from the trees, you can spray them with the Bifen, Spreader Sticker and Nylar combined.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Spreaders: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/spreaders/scatterbox-spreader

Nylar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

But if any of these trees are yielding crops you consume, use the Dominion labeled for fruit trees. It can be used safely without impact to the plants or people consuming anything harvested from the tree and you can also apply it to the soil for systemic treatments.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

Lastly, if you’re not harvesting any fruit from the trees and like the concept of root feeding for long term systemic protection, use the stronger Dominion 2L. It works just the like the Fruit Tree Dominion but is actually stronger so it lasts longer and is more cost effective.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Like most customers that contact us, we recommend you consider doing the work yourself so you can save 70-90% of the cost compared to hiring a professional. You see, we sell to the professionals but we also make the same professional strength products available to homeowners so if you’re inclined to do the work yourself, you’ll be able to get the same results as when you hire a service company but at a fraction of the cost.

As for what the service companies are charging; remember they’re doing a service and as such are entitled to charge whatever they need to charge to stay profitable. Rest assured it’s not cheap to get the truck, pay the service technicians, pay for the insurance on the business, etc. so they must charge a lot to be profitable. But if you’re a do-it-yourselfer, this could be right up your alley when it comes to saving on the expense of this treatment. Here’s why.

One of the most effective products we have for this pest is the Dominion Systemic. Basically this product should be “drenched” into the soil around any plant or tree you want to protect and once the product is absorbed and distributed throughout the plant’s leaves, anything living on it will die. Whiteflies can’t live on plants that have Dominion applied to them so this is probably the best way to go since a single treatment can last an entire a year. And it’s easy to do so the savings can be dramatic.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Now since it does take awhile for the Dominion to get up and into the plants you treat, spraying them down to help curb the whiteflies during this time is suggested. And a good product for this would be the Merit WP.

Merit WP: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/wettable-powder/merit-75-wp-2-oz

In summary, you can no doubt do this kind of work yourself since we have hundreds of customers accomplish that goal and in the process save some $ for sure. Good luck and remember, you can always call for help at any time too.

Plants are amazing in that many times they can rebound from even the worse of insect infestations. That being said, there is no sure way to tell for sure. Regardless, you should treat because even if your plants are dead and don’t come back, is it likely you’ll remove them and leave the area bare? Probably not. And if you plant new shrubs on turf which was previously infested with some kind of insect like whiteflies, the new plants will fall victim to the same problem very quickly. So reducing the local pests is always best and strongly suggested when they get so bad they’re killing plants.

So at this point I suggest you get some of the Bifen and spray everything. And what I mean by everything is every plant, shrub, bush, small tree and even the grass. Since there aren’t many leaves left on the ficus, there is no need to use the Spreader Sticker. Plus, the Spreader Sticker can burn plants and it’s best to not use it when treating in the summer and the plants you’re spraying are weak due to disease or insect damage. Bifen alone will really help and since it’s water based, it won’t affect the plant in any bad way.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Next, you should apply Dominion 2L as a drench to all the ficus and other shrubs you’d like to save. As explained in the article above, this product works as a systemic and if any of the treated plants make it back from their damage, they’ll have the Dominion in them to save them from future attacks. But even if they don’t make it and you plant new plants in the fall, they’ll be able to benefit from the treated soil anyway so the treatment won’t go to waste.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

In general once you get this pest, treating on a regular basis is the only way you can avoid re-infestation. So if you want to keep the rest of your plants white fly free, either hire the service or do the work yourself using some of the products we have listed above.

Now if you review the article you can learn what’s involved and from there, decide if it’s something you want to handle. We have a lot of customers tackling this pest so it can be done with the right products and the right methods of treating.

For now, what I can tell you is that spraying everything should be done to take care of the current activity. For this the Bifen is a good choice. It’s odorless, water based so it won’t stress your plants and it works well on white flies.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Right after you spray, doing some soil drenching with Merit WP is what will provide the long term control and ultimately, the best protection because it works as a systemic.

Merit WP: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/wettable-powder/merit-75-wp-2-oz

As for how much you’ll need? That will depend on the amount of plants you want to protect. If you go to the product page link and pull up the specimen label, you can read up on the directions. Alternatively you can give us a call and ask for Chad; he knows this product well and can detail what you’ll need to do for the treatments. Our toll free is 1-800-877-7290.

Since these are plants that will yield edible vegetables, you’ll be limited to something labeled for such applications. We have a few products that work well for this need including Vegetables Plus Permethrin and Multi Purpose Insect Killer. The Vegetables Plus would be the “strong” option with treatments lasting 7 days or longer.

Vegetables Plus Perm: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/veg-plus-10-perm

The Multi Purpose Insect Killer is the organic option. It will only last a few days but if you’re an “organic grower”, this would be the active for you.

Organic Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

You should also take the time to treat the soil with a systemic like Dominion. Once applied to the ground, the plants you treat will absorb the active, distribute it throughout their leaves and stems and in doing so, have inside them a protection that will be strong enough to stop any future insect infestations. Treatments last a long time and are once done, don’t have to be sprayed over and over so you get a lot of protection with just a little effort.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

Actually we can send the 16 oz size listed here:

Nylar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

But something you might consider for long term control (as an alternative to using the Nylar) would be to soil drench the plants with Dominion 2L which works as a systemic. You’d still need to use the Bifen or Permethrin for immediately knock down since the Dominion will take a good 1-2 months to get “into” the plants you drench treat. Also, there is no need for the Spreader Sticker since it’s the warm season.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Go with the one of the organic options listed above in our article. These are products approved for use in organic gardening and therefore very safe to use on plants which yield edible fruit and vegetables. The section above discussing this here:

Organic White Fly Spray: http://www.bugspray.com/article/whiteflies.html#organic-white-fly-control

Of the products mentioned in this section, the Multipurpose Insect Killer is one of the best.

Organic Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

Merit is not approved for use in gardens but the Dominion Fruit and Vegetable is and no doubt what you need to use. It’s got a slightly different formulation but it does use the same active so you’ll get great results.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

For now, I suggest you review the information above. It explains what you need to do to control this pest.

As you’ll learn, it would be best to start by spraying with Bifen and Spreader Sticker. This will control the active infestation. I’d also soil drench any plant or tree needing protection with Dominion. This will provide excellent long term control. Using this approach should clear the current activity and the systemic action of the Dominion should keep them away for a good 4-6 months. Next spring, apply more Dominion to keep them away the rest of the year.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Spreaders: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/spreaders/scatterbox-spreader

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Anything being grown for sale that claims to be organic can only be treated with products that have been approved for organic gardening. That would limit your choices to the Soap or Multipurpose Insect Killer. Both will work but you’ll have to spray over and over and the risk of resistance is more of an issue with them compared to the other products you mentioned.

Soap: Insect Soap: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/insecticidal-soap

Organic Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

Now if you are only trying to stay organic for yourself and won’t be commercially selling any of your harvest, I would say to go with the Dominion and Vegetables plus. Both can be used on indoor planted plants and though in the end, the Dominion will prove to be the best material to use since you’ll only have to treat every 6-12 months, the one limit of using Dominion only is that it can take several weeks to start working. For that reason lightly misting the plants with some Veg Plus during this time would be smart. It will pretty much reduce the white flies right away and if you use it weekly, they won’t return. Then after 6-8 weeks you can stop because by then the Dominion should be in the plants system.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

Vegetables Plus Perm: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/veg-plus-10-perm

Now since I know potted plants can have soil issues, it would be smart to get yourself a PH Meter. This way you can probe the soil every month and make sure it doesn’t get too acidic. White flies love acidic dirt and I’ve seen them take over plants once the ph gets below 6.5. This probe is ideal for a quick reading and well worth the investment.

PH Meter: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/testing/phmoisturelight-probe

First and foremost, don’t spray your vegetables with Bifen or anything oil based. It’s too strong and not labeled for any plant which yields edible fruits or veggies.

Second, as our article above explains, white flies are persistent and fast breeding. For this reason you must spray often. Once a week in most cases but if you use one of the systemics we have listed above, eventually it will get into the plants and offer long term control without the need for regular spraying. No doubt that is what you need to do based on the problem you’re having so here’s what I suggest.

Get some Multipurpose Insect Killer. It’s organic and ideal for any plant that yields fruits or vegetables. You can see it above in the organic spray section of our article.

Organic Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

http://www.bugspray.com/article/whiteflies.html#organic-white-fly-control

Next, apply some Dominion Fruit and Vegetable to all the same plants. This needs to be done to the soil around the plants and as explained above, once in the ground will take 30-60 days to get up into the plants but it will eventually work.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

And next year, be sure to start the season by using the Dominion once the seedlings start to show. By treating early in the year, you’ll never have to worry about any pest living on your plants.

Lastly, for any plant that doesn’t yield an edible crop, get the Dominion 2L. It’s a lot stronger and okay for hibiscus, trees, etc.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

It’s interesting how many people ask us about the effect of cold on insects. In general, insects will “shut down” as air temps drop. Eventually they’ll literally freeze. But because they’re very different from mammals, it does not mean they’ll die. Many insects can go into a suspended state of animation and some can survive these “states” for long periods of time. The exact length of time will depend on the species of insect, the condition they were in prior to it getting cold, etc.

Now with white flies, they no doubt will slow up as it gets cold. And eventually, they can die. But as our article above explains, white flies reproduce quickly and as soon as the temps go back up, they’ll become active and eventually reach or surpass their previous populations. And this will happen where they were last seen.

So to answer your question; yes, cold temperatures can kill white flies. In fact any temps below freezing can cause this to happen but it’s not guaranteed nor is it complete. And even if it was this cold for 9 months, as soon as the temps got above 50 degrees again they’d start right back up where they left off. This is due to the fact that most all insect eggs (and in some cases other stages too) can live through variable temperature ranges without dying. And they can withstand these cold temps for long periods of time – in many cases years – so temps alone will not eliminate any local infestation.

In the end, if you want them gone, you’ll need to treat using one of the methods detailed above. White flies have been around a long time. Seeing that they thrive on plant life, it’s safe to say they’ve been on earth long before man and will probably be around long after we’re gone.

@Jawad Khan: Your question is a bit confusing. Here’s why.

As explained above, white flies live on plants. And they fly. So if you treat a plant as we describe above using the products listed, you’ll kill them. Now eventually more whiteflies will return to this plant which is why you generally have to treat several times to resolve any kind of whitefly infestation. In the end, the treatments will knock out the existing population as well as control any new whiteflies that come around and land on your treated plant.

Now if your plant suffers so bad that it looses leaves during the growing season, the whiteflies will most likely move to the branches and plant stems of the host plant to feed. And if this doesn’t provide them with enough nutrition, they’ll move to a another plant close by that will provide them with the food they need.

Of course, if you reside in a region where the infested plant will loose it’s leaves as fall turns to winter, then the whiteflies will merely go dormant and reappear the following the spring.

So to answer your question; if you spray your plants with the Bifen and Nylar we have listed above, you’ll control the existing infestation and help prevent new infestations.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Nylar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

Now whether you move the plant or not, this will happen. And if the plant looses it’s leaves because it’s sick or because of the change in local season, the same will hold true (meaning the treatments will control the infestation).

But will the local whiteflies die of starvation? No. They’ll either die from the treatment, move to another plant which can sustain their life or go dormant if the season is cold enough. Hope this helps.

Trunk injection is always an option. However, it’s very expensive and though injecting the active will enable the treatment to get “into” the tree faster, the benefit from the extra cost is hard to justify. With that being said, spraying and drenching for systemic control is very much a viable option regardless of the tree size and what we always recommend when dealing with any type of infestation.

So spraying what you can can reach with Bifen and Nylar will no doubt help immediately. True you won’t be able to kill all the white flies but getting rid of as many as possible will help diminish damage. We have sprayers that can reach up over 30 feet and when sprayed from an elevated platform, most people can get close to 50 feet high on any tree.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Nylar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

Next, soil injecting the Dominion would ultimately provide the best control. This would be easy to do and though it will take a month or two for the treatment to distribute, the reward will be a whitefly free tree for 6-12 months and if you apply some annually, you’ll be able to keep them away for good at a fraction of a cost compared to trunk injection.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

If you review the label for the Dominion, you’ll see there are some suggestions but overall, it’s not an exact science. Especially with a tree this big. Since it will have so many feeder roots scattered around, you only have to do a thorough perimeter soil drench and you’ll surely be close enough to get product absorbed. And as always, shade lines are a great place to focus too (where grass stops growing cause it’s too shady under the tree canopy).

If you review our article above, you’ll see there are several options you can employ to take care of this problem. Personally, if it was my tree, I’d start by treating it with Dominion Tree Systemic. This material is applied by drenching the ground around the tree and once in the soil, the active is absorbed by the roots of the tree where it will be distributed to the branches, leaves, etc.

Once the active gets distributed to the parts of the tree that are feeding the white flies, they’ll ingest some of the active and die. Dominion lasts a long time making it easy and efficient to use.

We have two formulations of this product; one for the trees that bear fruit or vegetables and one for non-fruit bearing trees. So if you’re harvesting olives, you’ll need the Fruit Tree formulation:

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

But if you’re not harvesting any olives, go with the standard Dominion:

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Now the one drawback of Dominion is that it can take 1-2 months to get effectively distributed to the vital parts of the tree or plants being treated. So to protect the tree from sustaining damage while the Dominion is kicking in, you should spray it down.

Again, the choice of which spray to use will depend on whether you’re harvesting olives.

So if you’re not harvesting olives, go with the Bifen and Nylar mixture.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Nylar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

But if you’re planning on using the olives, use one of the organic options like Insecticidal Soap:

Soap: Insect Soap: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/insecticidal-soap

or Multipurpose Insect Killer:

Organic Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

Now since white flies will commonly infest neighboring plants, be sure to inspect all your other trees and ground cover and if any show signs of white fly activity, treat them too. This precautionary action will help keep them off your property altogether making the chance of future infestations less likely to happen.

Go with the Bug Off. It was formulated for removing all kinds of bug related messes on cars.

Bug Off Bug Remover: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/bug-free-bug-remover-14-5-oz

First, I’ve seen many types of plants show damage way after they were treated so I wouldn’t worry too much about the loss of leaves you’re only now noticing. This is to be expected and in fact is quite normal following the trauma of a whitefly infestation along with liquid spraying. Now I should point out that many general “over the counter” sprays will be oil based and this no doubt will cause more leaf shedding than normal so your treatments could have had an impact too. That’s why it’s important to use something like the Bifen and Nylar we have listed above which are water based (and mix with water). This type of concentrate is best suited when treating sickly plants since they’re the most “gentle” to the plant.

Second, it is possible more leaves will fall off in the coming weeks but again, I’ve seen this happen with many plant species and when it comes to hollies, they almost always find a way to survive so I’d bet your hedges will come back fine over the next few months. Just give it some time and let the problem run it’s course and don’t give up for at least 6 months. So if you don’t see anything positive growing by May-June of next year, then it would be highly likely they did succumb to the insects. But I doubt this will happen.

Third, I’d definitely get some Dominion and soil drench the ground around the holly’s (along with any other plant in the yard you’d like to protect). This treatment will work as a systemic and provide protection from most any kind of insect pest. What’s even better is that a treatment done now should last most if not all of 2013.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Now if you start to see live whiteflies or other pests in the next 1-2 months, get some of the Bifen and Nylar listed above and do a thorough spraying. This will insure the plants survival during the time it takes for the systemic to kick in and be distributed throughout the the hedge.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Nylar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

No doubt some people can have allergic reactions to what’s known as “white fly mold”. And when allowed to accumulate in significant amounts, it can have an impact to people when they’re active in close proximity to the mess.

Mind you this would be a “reaction”; kind of like an allergy and should not be confused with a bacterial type of problem which can be acquired from bird droppings or black mold. But due to the ingredients of the white fly mold and excrement, there is a wide range of allergic symptoms that people have reported having when exposed to it over time.

You can use c02 if you keep your plants in a confined, air tight space. This approach can be used in a small greenhouse or closet. When you have a small structure like this where you grow your plants, flooding the area with cO2 will minimize if not eliminate most common garden pests. However, you must have the right structure built (air tight) and you must be prepared to use a lot of cO2. The equipment needed can be costly. And randomly squirting some cO2 on your plants which are being grown outside in the open won’t; cO2 will only work in confined quarters.

Now for most people, what we recommend and what’s a lot more practical to employ is something organic like MultiPurpose Insect Killer or the 3-In-1 Concentrate. Both of these materials can be applied directly to the plants every day if needed and since they will work on all pests, a good maintenance material to use throughout the growing season.

Organic Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz

3 in 1 Spray: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/3-in-1-fungicide-miticide-insecticide

And we also recommend using Dominion Vegetable Systemic. This should be applied to the ground around your plants and once absorbed, will kill any insect that attacks the treated stems and leaves. Like the organic sprays, Dominion can be safely used on all vegetable and fruit plants.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

If your review our article above, you’ll see we have a product referred to as a “systemic” which is what you’ll need to use. Systemics are materials that are mixed with water and then applied to the soil around the tree. Over time (around 3-6 weeks), the active ingredient will be absorbed by the roots of the tree and then “grow into” all of the trees limbs, leaves, etc. Once the active is distributed throughout the tree, insects which target the treated tree will fall victim to the active ingredient. This approach can effectively keep the treated plant pest free for 6-12 months.

Now because tall trees are especially difficult to spray, the use of a systemic is no doubt the way to go. It can be done quickly and will cost one tenth or less compared to the cost of hiring a service company. The only decision you’ll need to make will be which of the various formulations will be best suited for your needs.

And this decision will be based on whether or not the tree is yielding anything edible. So if you don’t harvest coconuts from this tree and it’s only an “ornamental” coconut, you’d be able to use the full strength formulation known as Dominion 2L. Basically you’d add some Dominion to a bucket of water, poke some holes in the ground around the tree and then pour the mixed material down the holes.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Now if you want to harvest coconuts from the tree, you’ll need to use the Dominion Fruit and Tree formulation which is essentially a weaker form of the same product. This weaker form is gentle enough to still work on insect pests like white flies but it’s also safe enough to use on plants which will yield edible crops.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

Either way, these products are the way to go when dealing with persistent pest problems like white flies. These materials are easy to use, long lasting and very effective. And they are a lot less costly compared to hiring a service company. Give us a call if you have more questions; our toll free is 1-800-877-7290.

It’s hard to answer your questions completely because there are a few methods that can be used. First, knowing the diameter of the tree is important for how much material will be needed. And based on an 18″ diameter, you’ll need to use about 2-3 oz per tree.

But how much water you use for the 2-3 oz is flexible. Additionally, there are a few ways to apply the mixture. To understand what I mean, read the label. On page 11 of the label, details are provided for soil drenching. Read them over for more information and if you still need help, give us a call tomorrow via our toll free at 1-800-877-7290. We’ll be able to provide more detailed directions on the phone if needed.

Dominion Label: http://www.bugspray.net/labels/dominion_2l_label.pdf

The sooty citrus mold caused by whiteflies can impact the plant and it’s crop in many ways. Once the mold starts growing, it will take away from the plants ability to properly nourish the fruit. This usually means a less than bountiful crop and other problems like smaller size fruit, bad tasting fruit and even deformities that can make the yield look “scary”.

But in general the mold will not be caustic or hazardous. Just be sure to wash the harvested crop and don’t consume any pieces that look bad or have visible rot. And if any of it tastes bad, throw it away.

First, the Dominion would no doubt be the best long term material to use. It’s easy to apply, can last up to one full season per application and will work well on white flies. I suggest you get some applied as quickly as possible.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Second, do you even need to spray? I ask because yes, the Dominion will take a month or so kick in but once it does, spraying won’t be needed anymore. So if you’re able to endure another 4-8 weeks of whitefly activity, I would say to try not spraying and see how it goes.

Now if you insist on spraying, go with just the Bifen alone. You see, Bifen is odorless and safe enough to be used inside homes on carpeting. So when used outside, there is even less risk associated with it’s use. That means if your lanai doesn’t have any food prep areas, you could safely use the Bifen over the area and then afterwards, hose down anywhere overspray landed. This would effectively remove the overspray.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

And something else I feel I should mention is that Bifen can be applied with one of our mist blowers. Personally I use a Back Pack Mister and it’s able to reach up the entire side of my house which is about 48-49 feet tall. I basically mist the sides of my home during the spring, summer and fall to control a wide range of pests including ants, stinkbugs, mosquitoes and noseeums. And guess what I use to mist? Bifen. It’s ideal for this kind of use because it’s odorless and undetectable where applied.

In summary, I believe the Dominion alone will be able to control your problem. But if you feel you still want to spray, the Bifen alone would be fine without using any growth regulator or spreader sticker since the benefit of these additives won’t be needed since Dominion will be applied. And true, spraying the Bifen would no doubt be messier compared to misting it so consider a Mist Blower or Fogging Machine to help minimize the overspray.

Back Pack Mister: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/foggers/solo-mistblower-backpack

FM6309: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/foggers/fogmaster-6309-120-v

Hope this helps..

If you read our article above, you’ll learn all you need to do. I would recommend drenching the soil first with Dominion and then following up with some Bifen and Nylar sprayed on the plants where you see activity.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

Nylar: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

The whole purpose of the Dominion Fruit and Vegetable label was to create a “weaker” formulation of Dominion compared to the original which would pose no hazard to people or animals should the treated plant and/or it’s harvest be consumed. So in this case, there is little (if any) risk to the tortoise. For this reason, there is no need for you to reroute his feeding pattern.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

In fact there will be no hazard to anyone eating any mangoes you might harvest either so no need to abandon the fruit it might yield.

As for the use of a pyrethrin spray or powder? You’ll have to consult the label of what you intend on using to see what it says. Just because something uses pyrethrin, it does not mean it’s okay to then consume the treated plant. There are many such products around (too many to list) and most are not safe enough to be used on a plant that will yield some kind of edible harvest.

But I also know we carry a pyrethrin concentrate you could use that’s fine safe for edible crops and if you employ this material, I see no reason to keep the tortoise out for more than an hour following the application. Additionally, the treated plants (and surrounding grass/plants) would be safe enough for any animal to eat as well. It’s the Evergreen Concentrate found on this page:

Evergreen: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/exciter-16-oz

You should probably wait till the second blossom. This is to insure there is no impact on beneficial insects that will forage on the blossoms which should be avoided if possible.

Now once the second set of blossoms have peaked and these insects loose interest, a good application can be made which will last the rest of the year. Good luck!

First and foremost, all the products we have listed in our article above can be used safely in the yard without posing any kind of hazard to you or your dog. More information about how safe they are can be seen on line here:

Product Safety: http://www.bugspray.com/about-us/who_is_bugspray.html#safe_for_the_home

With that being said, the list of options of what to use for whiteflies is quite high. The simplest and quickest way to kill them would be to spray the grass and all surrounding plants with Bifen. It’s fast acting and will knock them out for sure. Once dry, you and the pet can walk over the treated area without any danger and since Bifen is odorless, you won’t even know it’s there. Bifen is so safe it’s even labeled for use inside the home for fleas. So if you’re able to use it on carpeting and furniture where people are known to be walking and sitting, you can rest assured it’s plenty safe for use on your turf.

Bifen IT: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen

But if you’re not one to treat on a regular basis, the Dominion Systemic would be another option worth considering. Basically it works by getting “inside” the treated plants and by doing so, enables the plant to defend itself from any kind of attack like the kind a whitefly can impose.

So if you treat your turf, shrubs and trees with Dominion, the treated plants would have (in their sap) the active ingredient used in Dominion so if whiteflies, aphids, caterpillars, etc. ever tried to feed on any of the treated plants, the invading insect would die.

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

Lastly, we even have organic options that can control whiteflies. Be forewarned they won’t last nearly as long as the two options listed above but they will do a good job. You just need to treat more frequently when using anything organic so in the end, it will prove to be a lot more costly and time consuming.

So for large areas like a lawn, the Bug Patrol RTS is a good option. Basically you can use it as frequently as you want without any chance of over applying it since it’s organic. And to use, you only have to hook it up to your garden hose, turn on the water and spray away until the area you want to protect has been thoroughly covered.

Bug Patrol: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/bug-patrol-32-oz-rts

You’ve not ruined the tree. If you review our article above, you’ll see mention of a few different forms of Dominion.

So if the systemic you used was in the Dominion brand and you used the full strength form, after a year the tree will run through the amount you applied. At that time, the tree will yield a harvest which can safely be consumed.

And from there on out, if you use the Fruit Tree safe formulation, the tree will once again yield a harvest which will be safe for people and animals to consume.

Now understand this applies to Dominion so if you used some other product, I cannot say my recommendation applies.

Lastly, here is a link to the strongest formulation which should NOT be used on edible plants:

Dominion 2L: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-2l-termiticide-insecticide

And here’s the formulation of Dominion that you CAN safely use on plants that yield edible fruit or vegetables:

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

No doubt the Dominion will be the way to go for both ease and long term control so definitely get some. And I’m assuming the “corn” you mention will be yielding a harvest so if that’s true, use the vegetable approved label.

Dominion Fruit Vegetable: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/dominion-fruit-tree-insecticide-systemic

As for getting immediate control; I don’t know you’ll need to use all three you mention (Bifen, Nylar and Spreader Sticker) because once the Dominion kicks in, you won’t need to spray anymore. Plus, if the plant is yielding a harvest, you shouldn’t use Bifen on it. Instead, the Vegetables Plus would be fine and all that is needed for immediate control.

Vegetables Plus Perm: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/veg-plus-10-perm

Spray it once a week till the Dominion kicks in and you should see positive results.