Whiteflies $@&$#&!

[Scaley]

Iv'e aquired some new residents in my four cham enclosures (whiteflies). I did a search and only saw one thread which didn't really help. I was hoping that someone may have something to share regarding killing these little pests without a major enclosure upheaval. I know I could take the plants outside and spray w/ insecticidal soap then rinse majorly but it's winter here and I was hoping to avoid this method. I know I could put the plant in the tub but thats pretty messy. My biggest concern is having the whiteflies fly from the plants all around the house as I try to move them. At least now if they are disturbed they just fly back into the enclosures because of the lighting. This won't be he case if I go trekking through the house with 8 large plants. Hope something good is shared.

 

[dodolah]

can't you just take your cham, put him on another enclosure or fake plants.
Take your cage outside and blast that nasty guys with hot water?

 

[Marc10edora]

try putting one of those sticky fly traps outside the chams enclosure. That is how I got all the nats in my cage. But you would still have to wash and repot your plants to get rid of any eggs.

 

[Kam808]

Ah I have had that problem too. They are very pesky and often return to the host plant. At first I just wrapped the plants in a large garbage bag, then took them outside. Treated with soap/water, then brought back in. Flies returned in about 2 weeks. I thought about buying 2 sets of plants, and cycling them out of the cage every so often. So that I could treat the infested plant outdoors, and give it time to cycle out the insecticides. But was too worried the cham would ingest the poison.

Eventually I just gave up and switched plant species. White flies seem to love hibiscus, china doll, most flowering plants.

The fly trap is a cool idea, but white flys make full nests underneath the leaves and they spread quickly.

 

[lonomac]

Yes, these are pests for me. I cleaned out my humidifiers this weekend and they were clogged with dead fungus gnats. Re potting the plants is only a very temporary fix, at least for me it has been. I'm trying to put rocks on the soil and pour water + dish soap every other day. Hopefully that kills them off. The hard part is killing them without killing your cham.

 

[lele]

yellow sticky traps

white flies are a pain, no doubt. They often show up in the middle of winter on plants that were brought in form outdoors or that you may have purchased from a greenhouse. They are notorious there and the bane of of growers!

Yellow Sticky Traps work well but you need to put them in an area where your cham won't climb on or shoot it or he will stick to it. Rotating your plants and using the traps outside the cage would be best.

Understanding the life cycle is helpful. You don't need to know all the biology but knowing the time between stages can better help rid the problem. whitefly lifecycle

 

[Jeweledchameleons]

I've used to be really into tropical and amazon plants
The whitefly is surely a hellish pest
but there are a few things that can be done

I wouldn't use any insecticide or even a soap on the sensitive
or even any of the chameleon plants for fear of poisoning them.
sticky flytape will only make a mess for your animal

You can do a few things -all involve taking them outside
and moving the plant into a less than friendly environment for the flies.
All targeted at the real problem, Not the adults but with the larvae
nested under the leaves.

The easiest thing to do (depending upon the host plant) is to spray them with ice water
and remove the infected leaves off the plant.
leave the newest leaves on the plant.

place them all somewhere outside
your plant will be able to handle the change better than the flies.

a few cycles of this and you'll be rid of the infestation.
yes I know it's drastic but if you catch it all early enough your plants
will be strong enough to take it all.... weak plants should be moved outside
where they can drop their leaves on their own.
hope this helps

 

[dodolah]

i know one cure:
(expensive though).
Buy a bag of earthworm's poop (casting).
And mix it with your soil (it acts as organic fertilizer, so it's good for hibiscus).

They say that the hibiscus will absorb the castings and soon will have a horrible taste. and All the whiteflies will stop hanging out at your plants.

(i think this might be more safe than chemical or soap).. after all, it's made from earthworm.