What is on the underside of this kale leaf?
Whiteflies on underside of kale leaf.
Justin Ballew, ©2025, Clemson Extension
These white-colored, oval-shaped things are the immature stages of whiteflies. Whiteflies are an occasional pest of brassica crops. They have piercing-sucking mouthparts used to suck sap from their host plant. Feeding from large populations may slow plant growth and leave deposits of “honeydew” (excreted as they feed) that develop dark-colored sooty mold. In their juvenile form, whiteflies are flat and oval-shaped. They are able to crawl at first, but later in their development, they become stationary until they go through pupation. As an adult, whiteflies have small, yellow-colored bodies and white wings. In South Carolina, populations on brassica crops rarely build up to damaging levels. Read more about whiteflies here.
This week’s question is from Justin Ballew, Extension Fruit and Vegetable Research Associate.
