Whiteflies

Family Aleyrodidae

Greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum). Photo:Stephanie Boucher

Members of this family are phytophagous (plant-eating), and some species are pest of citrus trees and greenhouse plants. The metamorphosis of these insects is different than most other Homoptera but similar to the superfamily Coccoidea. The first-instar immatures are active crawlers but later instars are inactive and covered by a scale-like waxy secretion. Whiteflies are very small insects that resemble tiny moths. The adults of both sexes are winged, and the wings are covered with a white dust or powder. The antennae are long and threadlike.