The last two years have been very bad for whiteflies in the Southeast. This is due in part to the very mild winters that we have had, which allowed the flies to overwinter easily in crop remains that were left in the fields as well as in native species and winter crops. This year has been colder so less survival is expected. But even though it’s been cold, it has not been cold enough long enough for the pests to be completely eliminated. Clint Thompson of UGA wrote an article in late January discussing what farmers need to do to minimize whiteflies for next growing season. You can read the article at Southeast Farm Press here.
