Whitefly - Konajirami (English spelling) white flies

A general term for insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Homoptera, family Aleyrodidae. They are closely related to psyllids, aphids, and scale insects. They are tiny insects with a body length of less than 3 mm, and about 70 species, including non-native species, are known in Japan. Adults are free-living and actively fly around, with a soft body and wings covered in waxy powder. They parasitize various plants, and many of them are serious pests. Well-known examples include the citrus whitefly, citrus spiny whitefly, and small whitefly, which damage mandarin oranges, and the greenhouse whitefly, which causes great damage to tomatoes and cucumbers in greenhouses. In addition to pesticides, parasitic wasps, which are natural enemies of them, are actively used as biological pesticides to control them.

[Masami Hayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱半翅(はんし)目同翅亜目コナジラミ科Aleyrodidaeの昆虫の総称。キジラミ、アブラムシ、カイガラムシに近縁である。体長3ミリメートル以下の微小昆虫で、日本には外来種を含め約70種が知られている。成虫は自由生活者で、活発に飛び回り、体は軟弱で体表やはねはろう質の粉で覆われる。種々の植物に寄生し、重要害虫も多い。ミカンを加害するミカンノコナジラミ、ミカンノトゲコナジラミ、ヒメコナジラミなど、温室のトマトやキュウリに大害を与えるグリーンハウスコナジラミなどが有名。防除には農薬のほか、天敵の寄生バチを生物農薬として積極的に用いている。

［林　正美］

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