Fortunately, washing plants regularly is helpful in controlling aphids, 

 as is any good contact insecticide. It is not always possible to spray 

 plants in the home, but it is possible to use a contact insecticide as a dip. 

 Insecticides should always be used according to the packagers' directions. 



White Fly 



The adult white fly is a small white winged insect about % 6 inch 

 long. The younger stages, which are wingless and greenish white, may 

 be found under the leaf along with numerous small black bodies which 

 are actually parasitized young. A tiny insect parasite punctures and in- 

 serts its egg in the body of the white fly, which, in turn, becomes 

 blackened and dies. 



Fig. 8c — Adult white fly (Hi; inch long) with young 



White fly is especially troublesome on fuchsia, geranium, begonias, 

 and a number of other house plants. As the flies are covered with a waxy 

 substance it is rather difficult to control by spraying. One of the 

 most practical ways of killing white flies in the home is washing the 

 plants weekly with soapsuds, which should be washed off with clear 

 water after drying on the plant. A dip of Volck is often helpful in get- 

 ting results. Nicotine sulphate at the rate of 1 tablespoon per gallon of 

 warm soap suds used as a dip will give good control if used at weekly 

 intervals for four or five weeks. A wash or dip kills few of the adults 

 but will destroy the wingless young. 



Mites 



Of the mites that are troublesome on house plants, red spider mite 

 is by far the most common. Red spiders are tiny, being smaller than 

 a pinhead when grown, and thrive in a warm, dry situation. The use 



Thirteen 



