When I open the lid on one of my plastic compost heaps there are loads of white fly. If I turn over the contents will the heat kill them or should I dispose of the infested stuff. If I use it will it spread the problem and do more harm than good.
Any ideas greatly appreciated.
I'd guess the whitefly will depart if it gets to hot for them, but heating up the contents will hopefully kill off any eggs.
They propably are just newly hatched ones that came out of brassica leaves you've put into heap. They won't be able re-produce in there anymore, but will need live plants for next generation. So what you've seen now propably are just about last lot you get unless you compost some more fresh leaves.
There is no worries about spreading the problem..what you've got out of bin into air is about as bad as adding a drop of water into sea and having a fear of causing flood... ::)
White fly is all around us..by their millions and there is no way of ever getting rid of them. We might just get rid of few from odd plant but without repeated sprays..they just keep coming back.
So..carry on composting and don't worry.. ;)
Leave the lid on, they'll die soon enough. Not that it'll make any difference to anything. I'm not convinced they do any noticeable harm.
Whitefly don't seem to affect cabbages but if they get on tomatoes it does seem to hurt them... never figured out why... I'll still underplant my brassicas with marigolds this year though...