On Tue, 04 May 2004 20:25:16 -0600 in
, Janice
graced the world with this
thought:

On 3 May 2004 10:22:25 -0700, (S.V.Proff) wrote:

I noticed that my kumquat tree has a bunch of small white insects on
it. They fly when I pass by or shake the branches. So far the tree
looks healthy.

Should I worry?

If it matters, I am in Santa Clara California.

Sam
(My e-mail is spam-proofed, please post your responses here.)


Sounds like white fly, which aren't good. Could be winged aphids too,
but they're not so easily stirred. You can try removing them with a
strong stream of water to dislodge them and hopefully water log them
and knock them off. However if this is an infestation, then that
would be something that has many approaches depending on your personal
feelings about pesticides. Safer insecticidal soap works on most soft
bodied insects, but catch some put them in a small bottle and take
them to your local county agricultural extension agency and the master
gardener program there. Or to a garden shop that is more than home
depot or lowes, an actual year round nursery where someone will know
something.. for identification and what they recommend to rid the
plant of them.

It's better for you and your tree for you to take the pest in for sure
identification than for all of us guessing at what you have. I'm in
Idaho, so I'd have no way of knowing what sort of pests you have in
your milder climate, but a lot more than here I'd imagine since they
don't get frozen each winter.

Let us know what it was!

Janice
Believe me, Santa Clara=Whitefly city... I love Safers, but the damn
things fly away.
To me, when it comes to a pesticide, I prefer not to use anything, but
if you have a major infestation, and it's not only going to affect
you, but all your neighbors, you may as well either go ahead and use
pesticides and throw away the fruit (if you're of that mind), or cut
down/pull up the offending plant (I'd be hesitant with a tree)... if
thine eye offend thee... because the whiteflies are more or less going
to destroy your crop anyway if you don't get them under control.
Does Safers make a bulk container or one that can be hooked up to a
hose, do you know? I've never looked.