Bionomics of Sweetpotato Whitefly (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on Weed Hosts in the Imperial Valley, California

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Abstract
Time required for sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), to complete development of egg to adult at 26.7 ± 2°C varied depending on the host to which it wasconfined. Development was completed in 5 fewer days on wild lettuce, Lactuca serriola L., and spiny sowthistles, Sonchus asper (L.) Hill, than on wild sunflowers, Helianthus annuus L. Catches of adults on traps adjacent to wild sunflowersand field bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis L., and of immatures on leaf samples of these plants indicated that B. tabaci was present throughout the year in the cultivated area of the Imperial Valley in California. Thus, movement of adults back into this area is not a prerequisite for annual establishment of the pest. Seasonal trends of the aphelinid parasites, Eretmocerus spp. and Encarsia spp., attacking B. tabaci were monitored on both host plants, but levels of parasitism never exceeded 40%. Therefore, effectiveness of these parasitoids in managing B. tabaci is questionable.