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These beetles control a variety of whitefly species, including the greenhouse whitefly, the sweet potato or tobacco whitefly, the silverleaf whitefly, and the California giant whitefly. Adults and the larvae are both fierce hunters. They prefer temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees F, with a relative humidity of 75% and up. They can live in a variety of conditions, but cooler temperatures will slow their reproduction and development. They are native to Florida, and cannot live in harsh winters. They live for 7-8 weeks, and lay their eggs in the middle of whitefly egg rings. They are so efficient at eliminating whiteflies that they destroy their own food source, and have difficulty permanently establishing their population. Some crops, like tomatoes, have hairs which slow down the beetles and make them less effective. They also cannot tolerate large amounts of honeydew . You may have to clean up large honeydew deposits with warm water before releasing the beetles. Ants should also be controlled, since they will defend whiteflies from predators to protect the honeydew that the flies produce. A humid environment and flowering, pollinated plants will help the beetles establish themselves.
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