teeny tiny white bugs on my trees

[queentye]

what are the little tiny white bugs that show up on my trees every year, at same time? They don't seem to damage the growth, but they make the foilage look greasy and shiny and they seem to blow all over everything. what do i do about them?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

What trees? Where do you find them on the trees?

 

[queentye]

I have a lemon tree and a 20 ft green tree( not sure what kind but it doesn't grow any flowers, only green foilage. it is deciduous as well. ) The critters are found on the leaves. They remind me of dandruff!!

 

[sonny]

Most likely white flies. I forgot what pesticide to use. But soap & watter works well.

 

[queentye]

I will try soap and water.

 

[John Paul McMillin]

if it is not whiteflies then it could be a scale or wooly aphid or mealybug. it sounds like it is producing honeydew. Are the leaves shiny and sticky and do they get a grey mold on them ?

 

[sonny]

if its white flies, the sause is called sestemtic

 

[John Paul McMillin]

insecticidal soap such as M-Pede or Safer works great on whitefly or mix it half rate with Orthene at half rate also. or use Orthene at full rate alone.

 

[sonny]

My hybiscus was loaded with them critters. tide & H2o worked great

 

[queentye]

oh yea, they are producing some shiny greasy stuff on the leaves. now this tree is about 20ft tall with a nice rounded canopy bout 15ft across. so of course when me and the dogs try to do anything in the yard, and the wind blows, we get loaded up with these nasty things. whats the best way to apply the tide and water? will i have to do this year after year?

 

[sonny]

If its greasy, I would go with what JPM says. The white flies would only on the back side of the leaves. & the leaves would be like flat cacoons.

 

[queentye]

m-pede or orthene is what I will try then... How would I apply it? how often?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Per lable instructions, that is the law.

Orthene has an in tissue half life of at least 30 days depending on the pH of the water used to carry it.

 

[queentye]

so is there anything I can do for next year so they don't show up again? This tree is deciduous. Or will i need to spray it every year?

 

[treeclimber165]

You need either a small pump-up sprayer or a hose-end sprayer. The hose-end sprayer is cheaper, but mixing instructions can be confusing. A small 1 gal. pump up would work very well, mine cost me about $12 three years ago at Home Depot. Rinse it out well after every use, so residue doesn't contaminate the next product you mix in it.

I use a mild pesticide solution for the 'wooly aphids' on my sago palms.

 

[queentye]

thanks, they seem to be some sort of white aphid. thanx to everyone for great suggestions.

 

[sonny]

Or get a box of lady bugs, They love the aphids

 

[John Paul McMillin]

depending on what pest you have, Merit works on wooly aphid and some scales also . It can be apllied as a soil drench and the tree will take it up . so they is no need to spray if you use Merit.If you use Soap Safer or M-pede it it mixed at 5 tablespoons of concntrate per gallon of water . and Orthene alone is mixed at 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water . of you can go half rate with soap and orthene mixed together ( 1/4 teaspoon of othene with 2and a 1/2 tablespoons of soap per gallon of water . I would treat it now . Then check it next year and treat again if you see the pest again , you will eventually take care of them.

 

[queentye]

definately do-able. Geesh, I can't stand these things. Ive been puttin up with em for three years. They are starting to fly now!! Look out.