A family of small insects commonly known as whiteflies that feed on plant sap and are often considered agricultural pests.
From Greek 'aleuron' (flour) and 'eidos' (form), because of the powdery white coating on their wings. The suffix '-idae' is the standard scientific designation for animal families. The name refers to their flour-like appearance when observed in groups.
Whiteflies are so tiny that ancient farmers probably didn't realize they were insects—they just thought their crops were cursed! Today, these bugs are one of the top threats to global agriculture, and scientists study them intensely because climate change is helping them spread to new regions.
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