How do we deal with rugose spiraling whitefly on our Florida HOA's palms and shade trees?

By OurHOA · General information · Revised October 31, 2026

How a Florida HOA board handles rugose spiraling whitefly on palms and gumbo limbo: check for parasites, wash first, treat with systemics only where needed.

Part of the HOA board handbook: vendors, projects and upkeep.

The short answer

Most associations should not spray their way out of rugose spiraling whitefly. Confirm the pest, look for signs that parasitic wasps are already killing it, and wash the trees and hard surfaces while those wasps catch up. Treat only the trees that keep dripping after that, and use a soil or trunk systemic applied by a licensed professional rather than broad foliar sprays. A UF/IFAS study found that a tiny wasp, Encarsia noyesi, greatly reduces the pest, and harsh insecticides kill that wasp. The complaints usually come from owners, not from the trees. The whitefly rarely kills its host, but the honeydew, wax and sooty mold land on cars, pool decks and patio furniture under infested palms. Plan the board's response around that. Who is responsible for trees on owner lots, and for cleaning owner property, depends on your declaration and on Florida law. This guide is general education, not legal advice.

Make sure it is this whitefly

The UF/IFAS fact sheet ENY-992 and the longer profile EENY-578 (revised December 2024) describe the signs: - Spirals of creamy white to yellow eggs covered in white wax, laid on leaf undersides. The spirals also show up on cars, walls and windows near the tree. - Adults about 2.5 mm long, large for a whitefly, with two irregular light brown bands across the wings. - Flat, light to golden-yellow nymphs that produce dense cottony wax and long, thin wax threads. - Sticky honeydew, black sooty mold and ants on the leaves and on whatever sits underneath. The pest was first found in Miami-Dade County in 2009. It has been recorded on at least 118 plant species, but not all of them are true hosts that let it finish its life cycle. Florida Division of Plant Industry records from 2009 to 2012 show palms were 22 percent of affected hosts, and coconut made up 44 percent of the palm records. Gumbo limbo, Calophyllum, avocado, black olive and mango followed. Giant white bird of paradise, often planted around pools, is on the host list too. If you are not sure, bag a few infested leaves and take them to your county UF/IFAS Extension office. Our guide on controlling ficus whitefly covers a different pest with a different treatment plan, so get the name right before you buy anything.

Look for the wasps before you spend money

UF/IFAS researchers have found two parasitic wasps, Encarsia guadeloupae and Encarsia noyesi, plus a small predatory lady beetle, Nephaspis oculata, and lacewing larvae feeding on this whitefly across south Florida. They arrived on their own and are still spreading. None can be bought and released. The UF/IFAS whitefly management guide (ENY-317, 2017) says rugose spiraling whitefly was a damaging pest for several years after it arrived and has since been dramatically reduced by E. noyesi. How to check a tree: 1. Pick 10 infested leaves from different sides of the tree. 2. Use a hand lens on the older nymphs and empty cases. 3. A small round exit hole means a wasp came out of it. The empty case of a whitefly that grew up normally has a T-shaped slit instead. 4. Note tiny brown beetles and their pupae on the undersides, and lacewing larvae carrying bits of wax and debris on their backs. ENY-317 says that when parasitism is evident, you should minimize contact insecticides so the natural enemies can establish. A tree with plenty of round holes this month may be clean by next season. Spraying it resets the clock.

Wash first, and clean the surfaces people care about

EENY-578 says pressure washing with water works at the early stage of an infestation if it is repeated at regular intervals, and that it removes many eggs and nymphs. Take care not to damage the plant. Insecticidal soap and horticultural oil also work but need thorough coverage and repeat applications. ENY-317 adds that heat and strong sun can burn sprayed leaves, so schedule soap and oil for cooler parts of the day. On a tall coconut palm, washing the fronds takes a lift and is rarely worth the cost. Focus on the things under it: - Pool decks and pools. EENY-578 notes that honeydew, wax and dead whiteflies falling into pools change water chemistry and clog filters. Tell the pool contractor which palms are infested and ask for more frequent skimming and filter cleaning until the trees clear up. - Pavers, walks and benches. Dried sooty mold does not rinse off easily and may need pressure washing or a professional cleaner. Put a pressure washing visit on the calendar instead of reacting to each complaint. - Parking. If a row of spaces sits under infested trees, consider asking owners to use other spaces for a few months, if your rules and space count allow it. ENY-317 also says sooty mold weathers away once the insects are under control, so the black film on the leaves is not a reason to treat by itself.

When a systemic treatment makes sense

Some trees stay heavily infested with few signs of parasites, usually right over a pool, a clubhouse entry or a row of parked cars. EENY-578 says soil and trunk systemic treatments give longer control than foliar sprays, and that contact sprays knock whiteflies down quickly but typically last only a few weeks. It also says pesticides can kill the natural enemies and should be a last resort. ENY-317 lists cyantraniliprole, the neonicotinoids imidacloprid and dinotefuran, and flupyradifurone as systemic options, and notes that most of them are more compatible with natural enemies than broad-spectrum contact sprays like pyrethroids, organophosphates and carbamates. It also notes that most of these products are not sold for homeowner use, so a certified applicator may be required. What to ask for in a bid: - A list of trees by tag number or map location, limited to trees with live infestations. - The method for each tree: soil drench, granules, soil injection, basal trunk spray or trunk injection. - Each product's name and IRAC group, so the board can see that next year's treatment uses a different mode of action. ENY-317 says rotating modes of action is critical. - No foliar spraying of trees where scouting found parasitized nymphs. - No applications to plants in flower while bees are working them. ENY-317 warns that all of these insecticide groups are toxic to bees on contact. - A follow-up inspection four to eight weeks later, with photos.

Hire the right license

Under Fla. Stat. 482.156(1), a landscape maintenance worker with the state's limited certification may do pest management on ornamental plants only with products that have no signal word or the signal word "caution," and only with portable handheld equipment and backpack sprayers. No power equipment is allowed. Spraying a 30-foot palm crown with a truck-mounted rig, or using any product labeled "warning" or "danger," is outside that certification. For tree work beyond that, hire a company with a Florida pest control business license and a certified operator in the lawn and ornamental category, which Fla. Stat. 482.111(2)(a) lists as one of the certification categories. Ask for the license numbers and a certificate of insurance naming the association before work starts. If your landscaper subcontracts the treatment, get the subcontractor's numbers too.

Sample motion and owner notice

Motion: "Move that the association approve [company]'s proposal to treat the [number] trees shown on Exhibit A for rugose spiraling whitefly with a soil or trunk systemic application, with no foliar spraying, at a cost not to exceed $[amount], and that the company provide its Florida pest control license number, certified operator category and certificate of insurance before work begins. Move further that the manager schedule pressure washing of the pool deck and walkways at [location] on [frequency] through [month]." Owner notice: "Several coconut palms and gumbo limbo trees near [location] have rugose spiraling whitefly, a common south Florida pest. It drops sticky honeydew and black sooty mold on cars and pavement but rarely harms the trees. Small wasps that attack it are already present, so the association is not spraying the trees at this time. We will pressure wash the walks on [schedule] and treat [number] trees near the pool. If you have these trees on your lot, rinsing the leaves with water and checking with your county Extension office before spraying will help the whole neighborhood. Questions go to [board email]."

Mistakes that cost money

- Spraying every palm in the community with a pyrethroid because one owner complained about a car. It kills the wasps doing the real work, and the whitefly rebounds. - Cutting down healthy trees. UF/IFAS researchers reported people chopping down trees over this pest, but it rarely kills its host. - Treating every tree on the 118-species list. Not every listed plant is a true host, and many need no treatment. - Using the same insecticide group year after year. - Promising owners the association will pay for car detailing before asking its insurance agent and attorney whether it owes anything. - Letting the pool filter clog before anyone tells the pool contractor which trees are the problem. Our guide on Florida HOA palm tree maintenance covers pruning, nutrition and the other palm problems a board will see alongside this one.

Sources

These guides are general education for HOA boards and residents, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules vary by state and by your community's governing documents - check with a professional for your situation.

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