Methods of dealing with the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse. Effective methods for dealing with whitefly on tomatoes in a greenhouse Whitefly on tomatoes in a greenhouse methods

Kira Stoletova

Many farmers lose large amounts of crops due to pest infestations. Tomatoes are a garden crop that is most often attacked by various pests. Often the vegetable is grown in greenhouse conditions for sale. Of particular danger is the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse. If tough measures are not taken in time to destroy it, the insect can cause irreparable harm to the crop. What are the methods in the fight against "unexpected" guests?

  • How to identify the symptoms of pest damage?

    Whitefly on tomatoes in a greenhouse is a fairly common occurrence. The insect breeds quickly in warm, humid conditions, and a greenhouse is the perfect place for this. If measures are not taken in time, it may appear on cucumbers, herbs and other crops growing nearby. The fight against whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse is particularly difficult due to the high adaptability of adults to different kind processing. The danger to the normal development and fertility of the plant is borne not only by adults, but also by larvae and their metabolic products. Manifestations of pest damage:

    • white spotting in the form of dots;
    • atrophy of some parts of the stem, leafy part, twisting of the leaves;
    • larvae at the bottom of the leaves;
    • mosaic yellow pattern on the edges of the leaves;
    • fruit atrophy.

    All these signs indicate that you need to intervene immediately, otherwise the entire crop planted in the greenhouse may die. The waste products of whitefly larvae are fertile ground for the reproduction of all kinds of infections and many strains of the fungus. Any disease in combination with the invasion of pests will be impossible to cure, then the entire crop will have to be destroyed.

    Biological methods for eliminating moths

    The whitefly in a greenhouse on tomatoes feels at ease. Warm, humid conditions favor its rapid reproduction. To prevent the complete destruction of the tomato crop, you need to perform the following actions before proceeding with its removal:

    • plants need to be separated from each other so that they are at a distance of 5-10 cm;
    • equip the greenhouse with good ventilation;
    • add all kinds of strengthening agents to the water for watering plants;
    • do not destroy insects such as ladybugs and lacewings - these are inveterate enemies of the whitefly;
    • observe the humidity regime.

    Insects such as the lacewing lay their eggs directly into the pupae of the harmful moth. When the first hatch, they begin to feed on whitefly larvae. As a result of this, the offspring of the whitefly dies and it remains only to get rid of the adult offspring, which will be very easy to do after the death of the pupae.

    To prevent the appearance or get rid of pests that have already appeared, you can treat the seedlings with special preparations. It is recommended to put a small amount of chicken manure in the wells before sowing, this will help strengthen the immunity of the tomato. In order for the soil to promote plant growth, and not whitefly reproduction, it must be constantly weeded, rid of weeds and dried.

    other methods

    You can remove the whitefly by catching with special glue-based traps. Devices for catching whiteflies can be made independently from small wooden planks. They should be treated with rosin with the addition of honey or vaseline oil. The main thing is to paint the fixtures yellow because insects are attracted to this color. At the top of the bush, you need to pull the twine with a homemade trap. After that, you need to shake the plants, when some of the pests are on the bait, it must be destroyed and a new one built.

    If the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse has recently appeared, and its number is relatively small, you can collect the moths by hand, and then treat the leaves and stems with soapy water to wash off their waste products and prevent infection infectious diseases. Subsequently, it is recommended to regularly spray with garlic infusion. In autumn, it is recommended to remove all remaining vegetation, and disinfect the soil that will be used for planting next year.

    The whitefly larva settles in the upper soil layer. After harvesting the tops, you need to set fire to smoke bombs, and then collect the entire upper ball of the earth. If all the above methods of control have failed, you will have to resort to the use of fungicides. Chemicals will help get rid of the whitefly for a long time, only they have a lot of disadvantages. The first and main one is the chemical composition.

    How and with what they fumigate a greenhouse

    The use of smoke bombs should be discussed in more detail. After each harvest, the greenhouse should be treated. Ideally, fumigation should be done twice a year. There are such means for fumigation:

    • smoke bomb;
    • sulfur candle;
    • tobacco bowl.

    Any kind of checkers are considered harmless to plants. It is best to fumigate in spring and early autumn. Before carrying out the procedure, seedlings should be taken out to a separate room or outside. If there is no desire to do this, you can use fumigation agents with the addition of a special preparation. As a result of such procedures, it is possible to get rid of not only adults, but also larvae with pupae.

    A sulfur candle releases sulfur into the atmosphere, the vapors of which can have a negative effect on plants and humans. Before using it, you need to carefully study the instructions for the drug. After fumigation, after 48 hours, it is necessary to thoroughly ventilate the greenhouse.

    Chemical substances

    To completely destroy and forget about the whitefly on tomatoes and cucumbers for a long time, universal insecticidal agents are used. Many farmers are reluctant to use them because chemical composition, but when nothing else helps, and the harvest needs to be saved, people are ready to go to extreme measures. With the correct use of insecticides and compliance with all the safety rules described in the instructions, you can not be afraid for your health.

    Mankind has been working on the earth for many years and trying to fight various pests. Progress does not stand still and today on store shelves you can choose any fungicide for treating plants. The most popular whitefly killers are listed below.

    1. Verticillin J.
    2. Confidor.
    3. Actellik.
    4. Pegasus.
    5. Rovikurt.
    6. Fufanon.

    In addition to chemicals for treatment during infection, there are many systemic preparations that are used when planting seeds. In order to prevent the appearance of whiteflies on tomatoes and other crops in a greenhouse, Biotlin is used. Spraying is recommended at the stage of active vegetation. Another drug with a similar effect, which is also used during the growing season, Warrant.

    Actara is introduced under root system, with drip irrigation. Iskra M is a broad-spectrum drug that helps to quickly get rid of many pests that can settle in a greenhouse. Processing should also be carried out during the growing season.

    Folk recipes against the moth

    Most gardeners prefer to deal with whitefly on tomatoes using proven grandfather's recipes. Such methods are completely safe and contribute to the health of plants. Garlic tincture helps to effectively get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes. For 1 liter water put a couple of peeled heads of garlic and insist about 10 days. Then spraying is carried out.

    Very often, a solution of potassium permanganate is used for watering and treating plants. A very long time ago, people began to use methods of treating plants from pests with soapy water. With a small number of insects, this is a sure way to defeat the whitefly. Decoctions of dandelion roots or aloe leaves are often used. Processing should be carried out at least once a month.

    The frequency of spraying and watering will be determined by the number of insects, as well as the condition of the plants themselves. It is not recommended to use means to get rid of other insects to combat whiteflies. The fight against this type of parasite is complicated by their immunity to most chemicals.

    Summer residents and gardeners know that the whitefly in the greenhouse is a problem and quite frequent. A small insect no more than 2 mm in length actively spoils entire tomato families, and along the way, peppers and eggplants, leaving no chance for the harvest.

    You can get rid of the pest and there are several effective ways to do this. Which one to choose so that once and for all free crops from the whitefly, while not damaging the tomatoes, plus everything - to meet the planned budget? More on that below.

    Know the enemy in person - about the signs of the whitefly

    It is possible to determine that it is the whitefly in the greenhouse that spoils crops, and not, for example, an aphid similar to it, by several signs. One of them is the characteristic stickiness of the leaves, which begin to lose shape and wither. Their inner side is covered with a coating of wax, in addition, yellow spots with blurry outlines appear on the surface.

    An obvious sign of the presence of a pest in the greenhouse is small flies that rise in a flock above the bush at the slightest touch, poured onto the neighboring one. If by all indications it turns out that it was the whitefly that struck the crops, it is worth taking immediate action.

    It is important to start fighting the whitefly in the greenhouse as soon as possible, thus preventing the insect from seriously damaging the crop. Dozens of pests will multiply into hundreds in a matter of days, and this is a serious risk for the leaves and stems of tomatoes.


    When examining crops affected by insects, you need to pay attention to a black coating. Its presence on the leaves confirms the infection of plants with a sooty fungus. It will no longer be possible to save such bushes, and in order to avoid infection of neighboring crops, they will have to be burned as quickly as possible.

    Features of life and reproduction of an insect - why is it important?

    Having a clear idea of ​​​​how the life cycle of an insect occurs, you can build an effective plan for its extermination. You don't have to be a biologist to be successful in fighting whiteflies on tomatoes. It is enough to understand how the pest reproduces and at what pace the pest develops, what the larvae and adults are.

    The main problem of inexperienced gardeners is the desire to destroy the whitefly in adulthood. Meanwhile, such insects have already managed to leave a huge number of larvae, and their extermination without fighting the larvae will not have any effect.

    So, white midges, visually having many similarities with aphids, are whiteflies. She settles on the leaves of mostly young tomatoes in large groups, and lays her eggs there. The larvae hatch very quickly and immediately begin to search for food. It is this moment that is considered the most favorable for the extermination of insects.

    Here it is important not to miss the time when the larva stops feeding and is covered with a dense wax coating-cocoon. The protection of the pupa will be so powerful that it will be almost impossible to penetrate it with pesticides, and as soon as an adult emerges from the cocoon, the crop will be even more threatened due to, again, the wax protection of the already young insect.

    Each new generation of pests, devastating one bush, moves on to the next, repeating the life cycle until all crops in the greenhouse die from infection.

    What drugs are used in the fight against insects?

    To combat pests and enemies No. 1, special preparations have been developed for tomatoes. Which effective remedy to choose? It depends on the level of damage to the plant by insects. If the whitefly has just appeared in the greenhouse and has not yet managed to multiply, it makes sense to choose insecticides with a paralysis effect:

    • Actellik;
    • Aktar;
    • Vermitex;
    • Confidor and others.

    The drugs temporarily paralyze the actions of insects, and during the period of their action, the latter will die of hunger. The problem is that not a single whitefly remedy from the list above will work on the larvae. They develop in 25 days, while the drug is effective for no more than 20 days. That is why before the appearance of a new generation of individuals, the effect of the drug will already end.


    Taking this fact into account, we note that in the presence of eggs already laid by insects, it is worth choosing several other preparations:

    • Admiral;
    • Mospilan;
    • Match, etc.

    All of them have an effect on the larvae, which means they will help to cope with the problem more efficiently.

    Experienced gardeners often combine preparations from two groups, thus acting simultaneously on adults and larvae. This method really gives results, but it requires a mandatory repetition 5-6 days after the first use of the drugs without changing their composition. You will have to repeat the procedure two or three times until you can completely destroy the whitefly.

    An interesting option is the use of the drug Verticillin based on an entomopathogenic fungus. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that when processing plants, it grows into the bodies of insects, poisoning them with poisons to death.

    As an option, it is worth considering benzyl benzoate from insects, according to reviews, which helps only in the form of an emulsion. To obtain the desired solution, a teaspoon of the drug is added to a glass of water, which is sprayed on the bushes. It is believed that one procedure can significantly improve the position of plants. To achieve the final effect, repeat the spraying every 5 days.


    Manual and mechanical methods of pest control

    In addition to chemicals to control whiteflies in the greenhouse and garden, mechanical and manual methods can also be used to give tangible results.

    One of them is the treatment of leaves with ordinary warm water and soap. They begin by manually removing insects, after which they wipe the plant with a soap solution and wash it off clean water.

    You can also try to remove pests from crop bushes with a jet of water under pressure. The disadvantage of the method is that strong pressure can damage young and fragile bushes. In addition, insects that do not die from water will be able to re-occupy the bushes after the procedure.

    However, the method also has an advantage. Just like the manual assembly of pests with soapy water treatment, a jet under pressure allows you to rid the bushes of wax deposits - a companion of the whitefly. In addition, it will be possible to partially free the culture from traces of the soot fungus. After water baths, plants feel better, not to mention the fact that both control options do not pose a danger to ripening fruits.


    Analyzing folk remedies from the whitefly, we must not forget about such an interesting method as smoke bombs. After using them, it is important to comply with the requirements regarding the temperature and humidity level in the greenhouse.

    It would be correct to treat the greenhouse with smoke after harvesting, along with disinfection of the soil. It is better to set fire to checkers at night. After processing, the top layer of soil, poisoned by larvae, is carefully removed. The method is effective and uncomplicated, allows you to get rid of pests in most cases.

    Alternatively, you can try to arrange ready-made traps for adults. You can buy devices in a specialized store, or do it yourself.

    Varieties of whitefly traps: how to do it?

    One of the options for an effective trap for adult insects is based on rosin. The drug is heated in a water bath, mixed with castor oil, petroleum jelly, honey in equal parts.

    The mixture is not distributed on tomato seedlings, but with the help of smeared paper strips hung around the greenhouse. As an option, you can also consider a trap made of plywood, painted yellow or blue (the most attractive for whiteflies) and smeared with the prepared mixture. Enough pests will flock to a sheet of plywood treated in this way, in addition, it can be used repeatedly.

    Another option is a do-it-yourself complex trap using glue. Do it like this:

    • Entomological glue is applied to the orange-yellow plastic elements.
    • Attach lighting to the structure.
    • Glue traps are mounted at the level of plant stems.
    • Leave the trap during the day, mount a new one at night.


    A modified analogue of the trap - with water. A light bulb is placed in the box again, painted yellow-orange with holes in the wall at its level. A container of water is placed under the lamp. Whiteflies will flock to the light, burn themselves on the surface of the lamp and end up in the water, where they will die completely.

    As an aid to all the traps listed above, you can use ordinary sticky tapes for catching flies - they are hung throughout the greenhouse.

    Insects for the extermination of whiteflies to help - how to attach?

    The question of how to get rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse can also be answered - with the help of other pests that are not capable of harming crops or humans. We are talking about the mortal enemies of the whitefly:

    • encarsia;
    • ladybugs;
    • bug macrolophus;
    • ticks and riders.

    The macrolofus bug is planted in a greenhouse at the rate of 5 individuals per square meter, with the procedure repeated after two weeks.


    Ladybugs will cope with the whitefly in a short period of time. You can attract them to the greenhouse with planted tansy, marigolds, daisies, yarrow.

    But the option of lowering the temperature in the greenhouse to control the pest should not be considered. Indeed, the whitefly dies at temperatures below 10 degrees, while its larvae, even under such conditions, will survive and be born as soon as temperature regime normalizes. While for a tomato such temperature fluctuations will be fatal.

    What method to choose for pest control of greenhouse crops in order to get a 100% effect? The best option- combination of several methods and preparations with constant preventive treatment of plants to avoid recurrence of infection.

    Every year, farmers lose a large part of their crops as a result of being attacked by diseases and pests. Tomatoes are no exception. The danger iswhitefly on tomatoes in a greenhouse, how to get rid offrom her you will learn from the article and video. These miniature insects can cause great damage to a crop if no action is taken in time.

    Whitefly on tomatoes in a greenhouse can cause great harm if no action is taken in time.

    How to deal with the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse?

    The little moth lays its eggs on tomato plants, causing its leaves to gradually wither and fall off. What signs of its appearance will allow the summer resident to take appropriate measures? Here are just a few of them: leaf deformation, stickiness, the presence of yellow spots on tomato bushes, twisting. But how to get rid of the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse? According to the reviews of gardeners and experts, there are several methods for its elimination.

    Do not know how to get rid of the whitefly on tomatoes, and save the crop bushes? Then read about folk remedies, and watch the thematic video.

    A small moth lays its eggs on tomato plants, causing its leaves to gradually wither and fall off.

    If the summer resident wants to spend preventive measures without application chemical substances, then you should pay attention to folk remedies to combat the whitefly in the greenhouse. Having studied the reviews of gardeners, they identified the most effective ways:

    • glue traps lubricated with petroleum jelly, castor oil, a mixture of rosin and honey;
    • spraying seedlings with infusion of garlic or clean water;
    • ventilation in the greenhouse will reduce the risk of pest damage, since the whitefly does not like low temperatures, drafts, and quickly multiplies in warmth;
    • application of tincture from dandelion rhizomes;
    • use of a solution based on laundry soap;
    • spraying tomatoes in a greenhouse with a solution of yarrow;
    • planting umbrella plants in the greenhouse, such as dill;
    • placement of smoke sulfur bombs near seedlings.

    These are perhaps the most basic measures to combat the whitefly, which every gardener wants to get rid of. Before planting in, it would be good to treat the soil with copper sulfate.

    In order to fight successfully, you need to know its appearance, and, accordingly, what the tomatoes affected by this midge look like.

    The whitefly is a miniature moth with four white-coated wings, the size is only 1.8 - 2 mm. By appearance whiteflies are very similar to moths, but, despite this similarity, they are closer to aphids.

    These pests are distinguished by a complex development cycle, which consists of 3 parts. The first cycle is eggs. The second - a whitefly larva appears. It is attached to the leaves of tomatoes, with the help of wax secretions, which are produced by special glands. whitefly. The third stage is molting. The most recent stage of development involves the transformation of the larva into an adult whitefly.

    Having completely turned into an adult insect, it becomes one of the main enemies of greenhouses, because it multiplies quickly enough. In a short time, several small midges turn into a large colony that can lead to the death of a tomato crop.

    In addition, it is worth adding that in the first place, you need to fight with eggs and larvae. If the larva has turned into a motionless chrysalis, it will not be so easy to destroy it. During this period, the individual is protected by a shell, like an adult later - it protects itself with the help of a wax coating, which is found throughout the body and wings. On tomatoes, a greenhouse whitefly is often settled.

    These pests usually sit on the underside of the leaf, on the surface of which a sticky, shiny pad forms, which is the excrement of an insect (a sure sign of the presence of whiteflies on tomatoes).

    Damage to tomatoes

    More damage from whitefly-produced honeydew. Over time, it becomes a good breeding ground for pathogenic fungi, especially sooty mob. Affected leaves on tomatoes first turn white, later blacken. As a result, the fruits lose their attractiveness, and the plant itself soon dies.

    The whitefly, at all stages of its development, is an excellent carrier of most infections and diseases of tomatoes. The list of diseases includes: leaf curl, chlorosis, yellow mosaics, jaundice, deformation of shoots, leaves, fruit necrosis.

    In some cases, shoot growth stops.

    Tomatoes affected by fungal diseases are thrown out, the ground near the dead plant is disinfected. It is recommended to burn the tops of seedlings affected by the whitefly.

    Ways to fight

    You can get rid of the whitefly with the help of the most different ways. There are folk, biological and chemical methods.

    The biological method deserves special attention in the destruction of the whitefly. These are quite simple measures, thanks to which you can quickly exterminate it. The method does not include the use of chemicals, but is built only on the settlement in greenhouses, other representatives of bugs (in the environment of whitefly enemies).

    It is worth adding that with any biological method of dealing with whiteflies, it is impossible to pre-treat greenhouses with chemistry.

    It is worth adding to everything that really good results are achieved if you fight in a complex way against larvae and adult moths at once.

    Folk methods

    Not every gardener wants to resort to chemicals, so common and folk methods, which help to effectively deal with the whitefly. Among the most effective, which make it possible to destroy the whitefly both outdoors, indoors, and in greenhouses, are:

    • Glue-based fly traps - sticky fly tapes work well, but it's best to make your own. To do this, you need plastic or a piece of fiberboard. The surface turns yellow (the whitefly is not indifferent to these shades). After drying, it is abundantly lubricated with petroleum jelly, castor oil or rosin with honey. The trap is then left near whitefly-infested tomatoes. Noticing an object of an attractive shade, whiteflies sit on the bait and stick. When whitefly a lot will gather on the surface, the trap is wiped off, and then re-smeared. In a greenhouse, you need to hang such boards around the entire perimeter (approximately 30x30 cm from each other). This will help get rid of adult midges;
    • Garlic tincture - 150 g of garlic is cut into small pieces and poured with 1 liter of water. This substance against the whitefly is infused for 5 days. After this time, we get a concentrate, which is diluted at the rate of 6 g per 1 liter of water;
    • Herbal infusion from the whitefly - for cooking you need 40 g of leaves and the same amount of dandelion root. The ingredients are crushed and placed in a container with water (1l). After a few days, the solution is filtered with gauze. The field of such simple actions, the tool is completely ready for use. Spraying from the whitefly is done once every 2 weeks;
    • Spraying tomato leaves with water from a hose - although it helps to eliminate the whitefly for a while, but if there are a lot of insects, this will not help.

    All methods show themselves well if the whitefly is not divorced too much. When there is a whole colony of whiteflies on tomatoes, such methods will not give the maximum effect.

    Drugs used to kill pests

    It happens that the moment is missed and the whitefly managed to breed. It is no longer advisable to fight with folk and biological methods. You won't be able to get rid of it quickly. In this case, the only way out is insecticides. Using them, even in critical situations, we get rid of adversity.

    Among the huge number of drugs on the shelves of agrochemical stores, one can single out a number of really effective means to help save tomatoes in the greenhouse:

    • Aktelik - a tool designed to fight not only the whitefly, but also many other insects. The solution contained in the ampoule will make it possible to get rid of pests in the greenhouse on tomatoes, in just a few applications. It is diluted in 1 liter of water. The number of treatments should not exceed 4. The waiting period is 3 days;
    • Pegasus - the drug has shown itself well in the fight against whiteflies on tomatoes. It is diluted in 1 liter of water - 2 ml. You can get rid of insects after 2 treatments, with a 10-day break;
    • Verticillin - sprayed tomatoes in the greenhouse 2 times. Usually, this is enough to successfully fight the insect;
    • Confidor - whitefly is destroyed after the first spraying. After 3-4 days you can see a positive result. Entering the greenhouse after treatments, it is impossible to stay there for a long time.

    When spraying in a greenhouse, you must follow the precautions indicated in the instructions for the drug and in no case exceed the dosage.

    Preventive measures

    By following such simple preventive measures in the fight against whiteflies, we can quite easily remove the root cause of the appearance of these annoying insects that annoy us, once appearing on tomatoes in a greenhouse.

    One of the most insidious garden pests is the whitefly. This small insect, whose length does not exceed 2.5 mm, is distinguished by its exceptional ability to reproduce. Voracious insects are able to completely destroy cultivated plants growing in closed ground.

    And if for the existence in the open air, the heat-loving whitefly needs enough heat environment, then in greenhouses and greenhouses it can exist all year round, causing irreparable harm to greenhouse plants.

    Of the one and a half thousand species of insects of the Aleirodidae family, the greenhouse (greenhouse) whitefly poses a particular danger to crops. The homeland of this harmful moth is South America. This explains the special “love” of whiteflies for greenhouses and greenhouses, where a warm and humid climate is maintained.

    In one calendar year, the whitefly is capable of producing 15 generations. When the air temperature drops to 10-12 degrees, the pest's ability to reproduce decreases, but the butterfly calmly waits out the cold weather in the upper layer of soil or in the remains of plants.

    whitefly growth stages

    The complete transformation of the pest from an egg into a sexually mature individual occurs in 25-40 days. The more favorable the conditions for the existence of a butterfly - moist air and room temperature - the faster the whitefly "ripens". The life cycle of the whitefly is four “ages”, in each of which the butterfly harms garden and garden crops.

    1. Stray larva - hatches 11-12 days after laying eggs. The value is 0.25-0.3 mm, intensively spreads over the surface of the leaves in search of the most favorable habitat.
    2. Nymph larva - after 5-6 days, it is tightly attached to the wrong side of the leaves of the plant. Having pierced the leaf, the nymph feeds itself on the juice of the foliage and remains completely immobile until the next stage of growth is reached. Visually determined with difficulty, looks like a thin scale greenish tint. During its existence, it is covered with a waxy secret, which makes it invulnerable to insecticides.
    3. The pupa is the final stage of development of the whitefly, lasting from 7 to 30 days.
    4. Formation of adults (adult whitefly), ready to devour the plant.

    An adult female whitefly lives for about 30 days, during this period she is able to lay up to 140 eggs. For this reason, often one greenhouse plant can become a haven for a harmful butterfly at all stages of development - from egg colonies to hundreds of adult moths.

    In the absence of timely processing, the plant is doomed to an early death - the larvae deprive it of vitality by drinking juice, and adults eat the fleshy part in a matter of days. In addition to a direct threat, the whitefly is a carrier of many viruses. The larvae also produce a sugary substance, which is a beneficial environment for the habitat of fungi. Very often in greenhouses where the whitefly is common, plants are damaged by niello, a type of soot fungus.

    How to recognize a whitefly lesion

    Whitefly infestation at the initial stage is not easy to detect. This is due to the fact that the insect nests mainly on the wrong side of the leaves, and its larvae are so small that they resemble small scales.

    One of characteristic features the fact that the plant is affected by the whitefly is the appearance of whitish or yellow spots with blurred borders. Plants acquire an unhealthy, oppressed appearance; on the underside of the leaf, you can see light tubercles - places where second-age larvae accumulate.

    When examining the leaves, their deformation, twisting is noted. After a short time, the affected leaves turn yellow and die.

    The secretions of the larvae cover the plant with a sticky coating, which is easily detected when touched. This plaque clogs the pores of the leaves, prevents natural photosynthesis and the normal development of the plant. If black velvety spots are found on the leaves, then we are already talking about a concomitant disease - a sooty fungus that whiteflies carry.

    If any of the listed signs of an unhealthy plant appear, urgent measures should be taken to save the crop.

    How to deal with greenhouse whitefly

    Features of the development of the whitefly make the fight against it quite difficult. In order to preserve greenhouse crops, a set of measures should be carried out, including mandatory preventive work.

    Greenhouse (greenhouse) processing

    The indispensable treatment of greenhouses immediately after harvest helps to reduce the risk of the spread of agricultural pests.

    Such prevention includes:

    • complete removal of plant residues and debris, followed by incineration;
    • applying bleach solution to the frame structure;

    Prices for bleach

    bleaching powder

  • removal of the transparent cover of the greenhouse for the entire winter period(if it is impossible to completely remove the covering part due to design features, then the top of the greenhouse should be removed);
  • treatment of non-removable parts of the greenhouse (glasses, polycarbonate inserts) with an antiseptic solution (chlorine lime);
  • digging greenhouse soil before winter.
  • Keep in mind! It is extremely impractical to install a compost container in the greenhouse - when plant residues rot, a beneficial environment is formed for garden pests.

    Mechanical removal of the whitefly

    The simplest and most environmentally friendly method of dealing with whiteflies is the mechanical removal of moths, egg colonies and pest larvae from leaves. This can be done both manually and by washing the plants with a watering hose. After the adults are knocked down, each sheet should be wiped from the front and back sides with a solution of laundry or green soap.

    With a large population of the greenhouse by the whitefly, the treatment of plantings with a household vacuum cleaner is effective - this way you can remove a significant part of flying insects.

    The disadvantage of this method of destruction of the whitefly is the complexity and the lack of a guaranteed result. Part of the pests after mechanical treatment will remain and continue to destroy plants.

    Traps

    A variation of the mechanical removal of insects is the use of special traps. They are plates painted in bright colors (yellow, orange or piercing blue) and covered with an adhesive layer.

    For self-manufacturing traps, you can take a solid base (hardboard, plywood, thick cardboard) and cover it with blue or yellow paint. These colors are the most attractive to harmful insects, so the effectiveness of glue traps to get rid of whitefly adults is quite high.

    The painted base must be covered with an adhesive composition, which is prepared as follows:

    • mix castor oil, rosin and petroleum jelly thoroughly in a metal container;
    • heat the rosin in a water bath to a liquid state, add castor oil, petroleum jelly and honey taken in equal parts;
    • mix until smooth and refrigerate.

    Whitefly trap prices

    whitefly trap

    After applying the adhesive composition to the base surface, the trap is ready for use.

    Important! For the manufacture of an "eternal" trap, it is preferable to take plywood or plexiglass as the basis. Such a device can be used many times - just remove stuck butterflies and wash the trap with warm water and soap.

    To increase the effectiveness of traps, they must be placed at the rate of 1 unit per 10 square meters. m area of ​​the greenhouse (greenhouse).

    Biological method of getting rid of whiteflies

    As a safe alternative to the use of insecticides, the use of natural whitefly antagonists is common. This is the familiar ladybug or the well-known lacewing polyphage. Beneficial insects help fight whitefly larvae.

    Encarsia - Encarsia formosa

    For tomatoes, peppers and eggplant grown in a greenhouse, the predatory macrolofus bug is ideal. The average duration of the existence of the female of this bug is 30-40 days, during which time she destroys more than 2.5 thousand larvae of the harmful whitefly.

    Macrolophus - Macrolophus nubilus

    Keep in mind! To guarantee the disposal of the greenhouse from the invasion of the whitefly, 4-5 specimens of macrolofus per 1 square meter should be released. m of protected ground. As a preventive measure, it is enough to run 1 bug per square meter.

    Biological assistants in the fight against whiteflies can be plants and herbal infusions. Tansy planted in a greenhouse acts as a protective agent.

    The following herbs can be used to treat vegetable crops:

    • yarrow - grind 80-100 g of leaves, pour water (1 l), leave for 48 hours;
    • dandelion - cut into 40 g of roots and leaves and pour water (1 l), infusion time - 2-3 days;
    • garlic (1 head) is crushed and poured into 0.5 liters of water, infused for 6-7 days, then diluted at a concentration of 1 tsp. (5 g) infusion per 1 liter of water.

    Prepared herbal infusions are used for spraying greenhouse crops at intervals of two weeks.

    Insecticidal (chemical) method of killing whiteflies

    The use of chemical poisons is an undesirable option for the destruction of harmful insects. It makes sense to resort to it in cases where a significant whitefly infestation is found and biological or mechanical methods of getting rid of it do not help.

    For chemical treatment of plants, it is necessary to take those insecticides that are recommended for home use. As a precaution, cover before processing. vegetable crops insulating material (e.g. polyethylene) to prevent the poison from reaching the plants.

    Attention! Vegetables eaten without intensive heat treatment (cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes, peppers) cannot be treated with insecticides, since it is impossible to remove poison residues by simply washing.

    Table. Effective drugs to control whitefly in the greenhouse.

    NameActionApplication

    Plant protection for up to 28 days, the death of insects is observed a day after application. When the drug is applied to the soil, the protection period is up to 60 days.Spraying with a solution at the rate of 2 liters / 100 sq. m area. Watering the soil under the plants (repeatedly) - 10 liters of solution per 10 square meters. m area.

    Protection of plants in closed ground - up to 12 days, the drug penetrates into the foliage tissue, causes a paralytic effect in pests.Single spraying 30 days before harvest.

    Affects larvae and adults, is safe for plants.Spraying at the rate of 2 tablets / 10 l of water. The maximum number of treatments is 3 per season.

    Protection for up to 21 days, effective against larvae and adults.Single spraying when a whitefly is detected, the concentration of the solution is 0.05%.

    Prices for "Intavir"

    In a number of insecticides, there are hormonal preparations that act on whitefly larvae and do not have a visible harmful effect on adults. However, when it enters the body of an insect, the hormonal pesticide causes a kind of sterilization of the female whitefly, depriving her of the ability to reproduce. The Admiral drug has proven to be excellent, which requires no more than two treatments to achieve a guaranteed result.

    Admiral is a synthetic analogue of a juvenile hormone that disrupts the growth and development of harmful insects.

    The fight against the whitefly in the greenhouse requires a lot of effort from the gardener or gardener. In order not to lose the crop, you should be attentive to the plants, inspect them for the appearance of the first signs of pests. To prevent infection, it is advisable to fumigate the greenhouse with sulfuric smoke bombs - after such treatment, the whitefly problem will not arise.