Aleyrodes proletella
Encyclopedia
The Cabbage Whitefly is a species of whitefly
from the Aleyrodidae family. It has a global distribution.
Adults are 1,5 mm in length. They have white wings with four gray spots. The wings are white due to a powdery wax
. The head and thorax are dark, while the underside is yellow and also covered with a layer of wax. The eyes are red.
The species is a pest on various Brassica
species (mainly Brussels sprout
and Kale
) and Fragaria. It also feeds on various wild plants, including Capsella bursa-pastoris. It is found in colonies on the backside of leaves. They suck in the phloem
of the leaves and pollute these by excreting honeydew
, causing mold growth.
There are usually four to five generations per year. The development of a generation varies from three to six weeks. A female can lay up to 150 eggs.
Whitefly
The whiteflies, comprising only the family Aleyrodidae, are small hemipterans. More than 1550 species have been described. Whiteflies typically feed on the underside of plant leaves.-Agricultural threat:...
from the Aleyrodidae family. It has a global distribution.
Adults are 1,5 mm in length. They have white wings with four gray spots. The wings are white due to a powdery wax
Wax
thumb|right|[[Cetyl palmitate]], a typical wax ester.Wax refers to a class of chemical compounds that are plastic near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents...
. The head and thorax are dark, while the underside is yellow and also covered with a layer of wax. The eyes are red.
The species is a pest on various Brassica
Brassica
Brassica is a genus of plants in the mustard family . The members of the genus may be collectively known either as cabbages, or as mustards...
species (mainly Brussels sprout
Brussels sprout
The Brussels sprout is a cultivar of wild cabbage grown for its edible buds. The leafy green vegetables are typically 2.5–4 cm in diameter and look like miniature cabbages. The sprout is Brassica oleracea, in the "gemmifera" group of the family Brassicaceae...
and Kale
Kale
Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane , a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming,...
) and Fragaria. It also feeds on various wild plants, including Capsella bursa-pastoris. It is found in colonies on the backside of leaves. They suck in the phloem
Phloem
In vascular plants, phloem is the living tissue that carries organic nutrients , in particular, glucose, a sugar, to all parts of the plant where needed. In trees, the phloem is the innermost layer of the bark, hence the name, derived from the Greek word "bark"...
of the leaves and pollute these by excreting honeydew
Honeydew (secretion)
Honeydew is a sugar-rich sticky liquid, secreted by aphids and some scale insects as they feed on plant sap. When their mouthpart penetrates the phloem, the sugary, high-pressure liquid is forced out of the gut's terminal opening. Honeydew is particularly common as a secretion in the Hemipteran...
, causing mold growth.
There are usually four to five generations per year. The development of a generation varies from three to six weeks. A female can lay up to 150 eggs.