Whitefly populations remain a problem in some vegetable crops in the Manatee Ruskin area, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline.
Growers and scouts report that whitefly adult and immature numbers are high in tomatoes and squash. They have also reached moderate levels in cucumber and eggplant.
Whitefly pressure is also increasing around the southwest Florida area. The higher number of adults and immatures that were present in some of the older tomato crops are moving to the younger plantings. The pressure is also high in squash and cucumbers.
The whitefly pressure ranges from low to moderate in the Homestead area. This will depend on the field location and what is produced.
East coast respondents note that growers are experiencing mostly low whitefly populations.
Click here for management tips of whiteflies.