Still dealing with white flies and I’m over it!

[Lindasjackson]

im on my second ficus tree and it to has white flies! The first tree actually died between white flies and scale bugs and I’m just over it? My new ficus has white flies now! I’m just so very frustrated! I don’t know what to do any more and these trees aren’t cheap!

 

[Multivitamins]

Pests are never fun. It might be a good idea to use a soap mix and give the tree a proper shower. Wrap the soil / planter in plastic and seal it up so it doesn't get super messy ... and wash the devil's all out / off your plants. Might take a few days of treatment or multiple baths to get all of them especially if they are already spread to the rest of the enclosure or area. Hopefully they don't re infest from another plant you have

 

[Lindasjackson]

I have soap and water washed it but I guess I need to do it again. If I had another tree I could put in my chams cage for a few days while I treat this one it would be easier but I don’t and this tree fills his whole cage so I don’t have any other plants in there. Maybe I can find something to put in there, just have to go check out the plant stores.

 

[ERKleRose]

You can use Physan for future plants and give your current plants a wash with it, it's meant for pests and what I use for each plant before introducing it. Just make sure to rinse really well!

 

[Lindasjackson]

What is physan and where do I get it! Lol!! If it’s safe to use as long as I rinse it really well I’ll
try it! Do you wash the plant with it once or how many times?

 

[ERKleRose]

I believe I got mine off of Amazon but some nurseries might carry it. I use it as a preventative, not a treatment, so I'm not sure on how many washes it'll take

 

[ERKleRose]

It's the Physan 20 formula

 

[ERKleRose]

Oops, sorry! It turns out you can only use it as a preventative, it can't treat pests, sorry!

 

[Lindasjackson]

Oh well! theres an oil I can use , neem Oil buti don’t know if that is safe for chams. I imagine because it’s an oil I’d have to leave it on for a few days and then I don’t know if washing it will get it all off

 

[Multivitamins]

The oils or sprays be it Neem or insecticidal soap, Castile aka hemp soap or dawn dish soap will all take several applications to truly address the issue sadly

 

[Lindasjackson]

Ok, thanks

 

[kinyonga]

Why not try lacewing larvae?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/lacewings-or-green-lacewings.5967/

 

[snitz427]

White flies are PITA. I’ve had good luck with actually vacuuming some up, then washing plants outside. You need to repeat this several times, as you need to disrupt their lifecycle. You squirt off the adults, but eggs remain. So 4-5 days later you do it again to keep them from reaching breeding age and laying more eggs.

Hatching mantid ooths in the cage also helps, as does having a bright light on top or right next door, like a plant LED. They fly into it and die from the heat.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Why not try lacewing larvae?
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/lacewings-or-green-lacewings.5967/

I read that thread and in the end after several tries that op had the lacewings disappear or they didn’t hatch, etc so they didn’t work.

White flies are PITA. I’ve had good luck with actually vacuuming some up, then washing plants outside. You need to repeat this several times, as you need to disrupt their lifecycle. You squirt off the adults, but eggs remain. So 4-5 days later you do it again to keep them from reaching breeding age and laying more eggs.

Hatching mantid ooths in the cage also helps, as does having a bright light on top or right next door, like a plant LED. They fly into it and die from the heat.

I do have bright lights on top of my cage, manyof the white flies have died on the basking bulb but not enough! I guess I’m just going to have to find some other tree for my Cham while I spend a couple weeks treating my ficus tree.