Silverleaf Whitefly - Native/original Community

Native/original Community

Research indicates that the silverleaf whitefly likely came from India. Since the whitefly is predominately associated with areas exhibiting tropical/subtropical climates, the focus shifts to how these insects attained access to crops in habitats with temperate climates. One hypothesis suggests that the transfer of decorative plants from tropical regions may have aided in the spread of the silverleaf whiteflies to temperate environments. The adaptations of the whitefly to plants facilitate the spread of dangerous plant viruses, which these insects are notorious for transmitting. Plants which are affected by the whitefly include: tomatoes, squash, poinsettia, cucumber, eggplants, okra, beans and cotton. Other common plant damages of whitefly include: removing plant sap, breakdown of the leaves of the plant, and leaf shedding.