Bug FAQSilverleaf Whitefly
Bemisia tabaci · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Aleyrodidae
Also called: Sweetpotato whitefly, tobacco whitefly
Source: Wikipedia
The silverleaf whitefly feeds by piercing plant tissue and sucking nutrients, harming a wide range of crops. It originated in India and has spread worldwide, becoming an invasive pest in many temperate regions.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is slightly smaller than a common fruitfly and has a distinct wing colour that sets it apart.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The first-instar nymph is about 0.3 mm long, greenish and flat-bodied.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Scientists think it arrived in the United States on infested ornamental plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It thrives in tropical, subtropical and, to a lesser extent, temperate areas worldwide. Cold temperatures are lethal to both adults and nymphs.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Both adults and nymphs pierce plant tissue and suck out juices from the phloem or lower leaf surfaces.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
A female lays 50 to 400 eggs on the underside of leaves; each egg is 0.10 to 0.25 mm long and turns brown before hatching in 5 to 7 days.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
It has been recorded in the United States since 1896, with an aggressive strain appearing on Florida poinsettias in the mid-1980s.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Research points to India as its likely place of origin. Its association with warm climates explains how it reached crops in cooler, temperate zones.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It can be mistaken for a common fruitfly, but careful inspection shows it is smaller. A 2011 review found it actually comprises at least 40 morphologically similar species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 13 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Kansas, California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Virginia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
What crops does the silverleaf whitefly damage?
It feeds on many crops, including tomatoes, poinsettias, tobacco, fruit and vegetables, causing serious damage.
Source: Wikipedia
Where did the silverleaf whitefly originate?
Research indicates its native range is likely India.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell a silverleaf whitefly apart from a fruitfly?
It is slightly smaller than a fruitfly and has a distinct wing colour; the first-instar nymph is about 0.3 mm long and flat-bodied.
Source: Wikipedia
When did the silverleaf whitefly become a problem in the United States?
It has been known since 1896, but an aggressive strain appeared on Florida poinsettias in the mid-1980s and quickly spread to other crops.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Aleyrodidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverleaf_whitefly
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.