Wow, WF this early in Wisconsin? Yellow sticky traps work well inside. So does rotating things outside - exposure to the elements briefly - when/if weather permits. And there is always finger squishing early on.

But sprays, even the mildest, on seedlings is a recipe for trouble IMO.

Good luck and ID how they got in there in the first place like a plant brought in.

Dave

I don't know of a BT effective for white fly. There is a subspecies BT for caterpillar, and the one I've used for fungus gnats (BT subspecies israelensis), but not effective for white fly as far as I know...

digdirt, you had just stated recently in the Hardening Off thread that it is bad to take the plants in and out. You had said that they will be heavily stressed and now you are recommending it. Which is it?

It isn't an either/or. It is two very different set of circumstances/situations. Treating pests vs. hardening off.

We are talking here about taking a few pest infested plants outside for a very brief period of exposure to get rid of the pests and help prevent the spread of the pests to the other plants. Brief exposure to an extreme change in ambient temps often causes the pests to abandon the plant.

That versus what was being discussed in the hardening off thread - rushing hardening off when the weather won't permit it yet and so stressing the plants by unnecessarily taking them in and out, exposing them to extremes, and so failing to actually harden them off.

In this case IF those particular plants are lost due to weather exposure, and the odds are slim, it is worth it to save all the rest.

I hope that clarifies it.

Dave

Dave, I must say, your patience is unending :)

As are your contributions here, especially in the subject of vegetables from seed, an area where I lack broad experience.

I have a couple dozen potted plants that are outside in the summer, in the same room. I have to assume that that is where they came from. Squishing them isnt an option since most of my seedlings are only at the 1st true leaf stage.

Taking them outside may induce the adults to leave the plants, but I dont see how it could help with any that are in the earlier stages of development.
I'll get some sticky tapes and if they get worse, I'll try some Neem oil.

Thanks

I think the point Dave is making is that white flies are a warm climate pest. In a greenhouse they are far more of a problem as it is always warm. There really is not a good pesticide for white flies. Every time one is developed that IS effective, in a few generations, which happens very fast with white flies, they have developed a resistance to it. If you can avoid them by causing the temperature to fluctuate, as has been suggested, it should be tried. If not in the greenhouse, for the home gardener, the sticky tape is the best solution. Al