lettuce with white flies around them

**dave_norm_smith** · 29-09-2011, 03:22 PM

Hi

I have them around my cabbage/ kale etc. As far as I know they don't really cause any damage and are easily washed off before consumption. Nothing to worry about in other words.

**bazzaboy** · 29-09-2011, 10:08 PM

I don't think they cause excessive damage to the crop (like big holes) though they do leave deposits, presumably excrement of some sort, on the back of the leaves if that's a concern. They multiply to become vast clouds when disturbed and personally I don't think they're that easily "washed off" - e.g. kale last night I washed probably a dozen times and there were still bodies floating on the water (crinkly kale of course tends to encapsulate them....). So I do use a spray which doesn't solve the problem but does significantly reduce them. If there's a better solution I'd be grateful (don't seem to get them on lettuce, mainly brassicas).

**Florence Fennel** · 30-09-2011, 06:30 AM

My sprouts are absolutely covered in them and I know that RustyLady has had the same problem with them on kale. They don't seem to do much damage, just make sure you soak the veg in salted water to get rid before consumption! I can also tell you from other threads that the white fly survive sub-zero temperatures, so they are hardy little blighters!

**Two_Sheds** · 30-09-2011, 06:51 AM

I've never known whitefly to infest lettuces though

**Florence Fennel** · 30-09-2011, 10:32 AM

Mmm, you're right TS, neither have I. Strange.

**Lotsaveg** · 30-09-2011, 03:06 PM

Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post

I've never known whitefly to infest lettuces though

The glasshouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum does infest lettuce particularly greenhouse grown ones. However, this whitefly appears to beincreasingly more able to withstand outdoor conditions.

The whitefly on brassica crops is the cabbage whitefly Aleyrodes proletella which is perfectly adapted to our environment and can even survive being frozen!

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lettuce with white flies around them

lettuce with white flies around them

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