Hey Jo!

[weredIgo]

Hi,
I have felt for some time, you could be on to something with your research. Because of some experiences I've had with this disease and some comments made by others I was searching one day about white flies. My capabilities on the computer are very limited. So this is why I'm asking you sweetly if you would look into this. I entered into my puter, what do white flies look like and up came (of coarse) apage of sites. I chose this one -http://www.ghorganics.com/whiteflies.html . When they speak of these pests they call them devils. So many things seem to fit our situation. The site deals with them being on plants, how to identfy and get rid of them. So many things that seem to help us also help get rid of them on plants. Like neem oil for one. So many of us smoke and one of the plants they are attracted to is the Nicotiana flowering tobacco plant. Someone in here said lady bugs land on them alot, and ladybugs love these critters. They suck the juices out of the plant and cause magnesium deficiencies and the such, like us. They produce a yellow honey dew goo substance that encourages growth of sooty mold and attracts bugs. Especally ants. They leave a white powdery substance on the leaves of plants. I see a white powdery substance in my vacuum all the time. Anyway I just wanted to tell you of this and get your thoughts. I hope this is ok with you. You all are such good researchers on here and have the tools and know how on puters, I do not. Oh well like I said, was just thinking and curious. My husband used to say "Thats your problem, you think too much".

Talk at you later,

Claudia

[Katinka]

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[Jo]

Hi Claudia,

You've made some great points. We can also add why some folks have more encounters with spiders - similar to the ladybirds (bugs), they love flys.

One fact i hadnt clocked was the magnesium deficiencies.

On the plants issue Katinka, we had a knowledgable morgie called Ninja here a while back, who said to have more plants - so that the critters infested them, rather than us. I havent reinstated any plants as I wondered about them breeding lots in the soil.

Did anyone follow his advice on this and if so did you notice anything??

I think a cocktail of species are involved - which could account for the variation in symptoms amongst us.

Keep thinking - I'm drafting up a looonnngg web page with all the research, which should be finished by 2010 at this rate

I could do with willing morgies that are well enough to read through journal articles and pick out the juicy bits. Please pm me if thats you!

Jo xxx