Introduction
Whitefly is the primary infestation in Poinsettia; both glasshouse whitefly and cotton whitefly may appear. To date, the parasitic wasps Encarsia formosa and Eretmocerus eremicus have proved to be the best organisms for combating such infestations. Due to their great host-feeding capacity, these parasitic wasps can ensure a clean crop, often more effectively than chemical measures. There are as yet no indications that A. swirskii could do this better or more efficiently.
In a few cases, cabbage whitefly damage is detected. Parasitic wasps cannot combat this species adequately. It is possible that A. swirskii could play a role here, but this needs to be investigated further.