Questionon crepe myrtle appearence of white eggs? small white worms and what apears to be white delta shaped flies.white soot and a stickey substance
AnswerSounds like white flies.
Whiteflies damage plants by sucking out plant juices. Because large amounts of sap can be removed, primarily by the developing nymphs, heavily infested plants can be seriously weakened and grow poorly. Leaves often turn yellow, appear dry and drop prematurely.
Also, because whiteflies suck out more plant juice than they can digest, the excess is excreted as a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew covers leaf surfaces and acts as a growth medium for a black, sooty mold. Both the removal of plant juices and the presence of the black, sooty mold growing on the honeydew can interfere with photosynthesis.
Insecticides will work but they will need to be sprayed at least three times about a week apart. Make sure both sides of the leaves are covered with the spray. Recommended insecticides are:
acephate--Ortho Isotox Insect Killer, or Ortho Orthene Systemic Insect Control
malathion--Ortho Malathion 50 Plus Insect Spray, Dragon 50 percent Malathion Spray, K-Gro Malathion 50 Insect Spray.
permethrin--Spectracide Lawn and Garden Insect Control.
bifenthrin--Talstar 10 WP
imidacloprid--Merit 75 WSP.
These are contact insecticides and will kill the adults present.
Since these insects are sucking insects the systemic insecticides will get into the plant juices and as the whiteflies suck the juices they will get the insecticide.
There is a fairly new insecticide called Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect Control that is applied to the soil around the tree and the roots will transport the insecticide to the leaves and twigs and when the insects suck the plant juices they are killed. This will last all season for a control and preventive. Here is a web link to this product. http://www.bayeradvanced.com/tree-shrub-care/products/12-month-tree-shrub-insect...
Check with your local garden type store for these insecticides.
