A small insect called the ficus whitefly a.k.a. the fig whitefly has been spotted recently in West Boca. It is capable of completely defoliating ficus hedges and even killing them altogether.

If this infestation is not thwarted, it has the potential reduce the privacy provided by our ficus hedges along roads and between the properties of neighbors.

It can be stopped by the thorough spraying of hedges with insecticides.

The cost of the spraying will likely be in the vicinity of $2.50 per linear foot. It is also possible that the hedges will have to be sprayed more than once, which would double the cost. However, spraying will still be considerably cheaper than having to replace destroyed hedges with new ones. Plus replacement hedges will probably be no higher than three feet at time of planting, so it will likely be a couple of years before they reach hedge heights – and the level of privacy -- currently enjoyed.

The ficus whitefly is thought to have arrived in the Port of Miami from somewhere in Southeast Asia about 18 months ago. It has since migrated to much of Miami-Dade County and parts of Broward. For more information, just Google ficus whitefly.

You can test for it by shaking the foliage on your hedge. If it’s infested, you will see small, white, gnat-like bugs flying out of the foliage. The whiteflies are in the hedges to breed, not to devour leaves. Their offspring, in the larvae stage, are what destroys the foliage.

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In a bow to the superior information made possible by the ongoing Internet revolution, here’s a link to the best website we’ve seen for helping South Florida prepare for the worst.

The site is well-organized, easily searchable and offers a wealth of practical information for all possible contingencies. You can download a copy of Palm Beach County’s Official 2008 Hurricane Survival Guide, which is also available at the county library on Glades and 95th Avenue or in the South County Regional Park from the Coconut Water Park and the Daggerwing Nature Center.

In addition to the obvious reminder about what to stock up on, the website provides hurricane advice about such matters as the special needs of seniors, how to get your yard hurricane-ready, pet concerns, where to buy gas or food in the wake of a serious storm that leaves us powerless, and much, much more.

This website is provided courtesy of Palm Beach County’s Emergency Management, which reminds all of us that more injuries and deaths occur in the hours FOLLOWING a hurricane than during it.

The website's address is: http://www.pbcgov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement

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