NAPLES, Fla. — Spiraling whiteflies are making a comeback in Southwest Florida. One pest control expert said they can cause some real damage to expensive palm trees - and can eventually create a mess on people's properties.
Joe Jayne of Truly Nolen Pest Control in Naples said the invasive insects first began feeding on the nutrients of palm trees in the Port Royal neighborhood of Naples about four years ago.
"It could kill a tree eventually," Jayne said.
He said the trees fight back against the pests by producing a black, sooty mold.
"Then when it rains, some of it runs off, and that's what stains everything," he said.
He added that anything under the trees - houses, vehicles and pool areas are prone to getting stained by the black soot.
"In order to get that black off, you've got to use hot soapy water, steam, the whole nine yards," Jayne said.
He said that after a lull of several years, his office has received two to three calls per day in the past two weeks from customers who say that the spiraling whiteflies are back.
Jayne believes that the best treatment is injecting a pesticide into the roots of the trees to keep the insects away.
"We do a deep-root injection," he said. "It helps the material get up through the plant."
