# Whiteflies (*aleyrodidae*)

Whiteflies are tiny insects that love to hang out on the underside of leaves. They can look like little white dots fluttering around plants!

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Whiteflies are commonly found in warm, sunny areas, often on plants in gardens and greenhouses.
- **Also known as:** greenhouse whitefly, sweet potato whitefly, whitefly, whitefly bug

![Whiteflies](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Weisse-Fliege.jpg&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Weisse-Fliege.jpg)

## Appearance

The Whiteflies are tiny, soft-bodied insects, typically 1-3mm long, distinguished by a powdery white wax covering their bodies and delicate wings. Their four wings are held tent-like, giving them a frosted, almost moth-like appearance that sets them apart from other small flies.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Hemiptera
- **Family:** Aleyrodidae

## Interesting facts

- Disturbed whiteflies erupt into a sudden, ghostly white cloud!
- Some whiteflies can spread plant diseases, like mini-messengers of doom!
- Their young, called nymphs, are flat and stay stuck to leaves!
- Whiteflies have mouthparts like tiny straws to suck sap from plants!

## Special abilities

- **Wax Armor:** Whiteflies have a powdery white wax coating that helps them repel water and protects them from predators.
- **Sticky Sweet Waste:** Whiteflies can excrete sticky 'honeydew' because it's excess sugar from plant sap, which helps them dispose of waste.
- **Rapid Reproduction:** Whiteflies can reproduce incredibly fast because they have short life cycles, which helps their populations grow quickly.

## Measurements & details

- **Size:** 1-3 mm
- **Lifespan:** 15-45 days
- **Flight Speed:** 0.3 km/h
- **Leg Count:** 6
- **Colony Size:** 100

## Diet & Feeding

These tiny insects drink sweet sap from plants, which helps them grow.

- **Primary Foods:** Plant sap, Tomato sap, Cotton sap, Bean sap, Cucumber sap
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Hunts:** Whitefly Destroyer (*Delphastus catalinae*) — eats whitefly eggs and larvae.
- **Parasitizes:** Parasitic Wasp (*Encarsia formosa*) — lays eggs inside whitefly nymphs.
- **Eats:** Tomato Plant (*Solanum lycopersicum*) — feeds on its sap, causing damage.
- **Eats:** Upland Cotton (*Gossypium hirsutum*) — sucks sap from leaves and stems.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Whiteflies?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is Whiteflies?

1-3 mm

### How long does Whiteflies live?

15-45 days

### How fast can Whiteflies fly?

0.3 km/h

### What does Whiteflies eat?

These tiny insects drink sweet sap from plants, which helps them grow.

### Where is Whiteflies usually found?

Whiteflies are commonly found in warm, sunny areas, often on plants in gardens and greenhouses.

### How does Whiteflies hunt?

Foraging

### How many legs does Whiteflies have?

6

## Where to spot

- [Ashlawn Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashlawn-park) — Virginia, US · Park

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

---

Source: [Whiteflies: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/whiteflies)