Giant White Fly
Most of us have seen white flies flying about and have discovered their fine, white spun nests on the undersides of leaves. This is a common pest that has infested our landscapes over the last few years. The white fly itself does not do much damage to plants, but its nest of sticky webbing is unsightly and a mess to deal with. Adult white flies live and lay their eggs in these nests, and it is there that the young develop. The nesting material serves as food for the young to feed on, and it also forms an excellent barrier against outside predators, including humans. If you touch a white fly nest you’ll find that it is very sticky and very hard to remove, and this is one of the reasons why white flies are so hard to eliminate.
Solution
The simplest solution of all is to apply plain, soapy water. Use a hose end sprayer (available from Home Depot, or just about any landscape supplies vendor) and fill it with a solution of water and kitchen soap, any kind will do. Spray this soapy solution on the undersides of plant leaves with enough force to completely remove the nests from the plant. Use a sponge or rag soaked in the soapy solution if the spray itself does not dislodge the nests. Repeat on a weekly basis until you have eliminated the pest, and periodically to avoid re-infestation. And, get your neighbors to do likewise!
This method of pest control also works on aphids, mealy bug, and other garden pests.