The
mysterious cocoon was not the only odd-looking thing underneath the leaves in the garden. Many of the leaves were marked with white, waxy spirals.
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| Eggs of a whitefly (Aleurodicus sp.) on the underside of a palm leaf. |
These patterns were made by whiteflies (which are related to aphids and scale insects, not flies). In some whitefly species, the adult females lay their eggs in spirals and cover them with a trail of wax.
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| An adult whitefly (Aleurodicus sp.) and eggs on the underside of a papapya leaf. |
Although the adult whiteflies look harmless and the egg spirals could even be considered decorative, whitefly larvae are serious pests. In addition to feeding on plant sap, they can transmit plant viruses when they pierce the leaves and the honeydew that they excrete can facilitate the growth of sooty mold.
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| A closeup of an adult whitefly on a palm leaf. |
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