Aphids and whiteflies suck sap, excrete honeydew that grows sooty mould, and spread viruses.
Scouting
Check the undersides of young leaves weekly; use yellow sticky traps to see whiteflies. Act when counts rise, not when leaves are already curling.
Control
- Natural enemies (ladybirds, lacewings, parasitic wasps) do a lot: avoid broad-spectrum sprays that kill them.
- Remove weeds and old crop that host the pests.
- Reflective mulch can repel some aphids and whiteflies.
- Soaps, oils or selective products when thresholds are crossed; rotate chemical groups to slow resistance.
- Insect-proof nets in nurseries and greenhouses protect seedlings.
Plan around hot, dry spells when populations explode.
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