The iris whitefly adult is slisght larger than the previously described whiteflies. The body and wings are quite waxy and the wings are held flat over the body. The wings are more rounded at the tip than are those of some other species, and they have a dark spot in the center of each back wing. The eggs are laid in distinctive circles and large amounts of wax can be found around both the eggs and the nymphs. The wings overlap across the back and are mottled with black markings.
Giant whitefly produces copious amounts of wax.
The adults deposit spirals of wax as they walk on the leaves and the eggs are often laid amongst these waxy deposits. A large number of ornamental and agricultural plants serve as hosts. A single female whitefly may lay from 150 to 300 eggs during her lifetime. During the hottest part of the summer, whiteflies may mature, that is develop from the egg stage to an adult that is ready to lay more eggs, in as few as 16 days. In the absence of natural enemies, a few individuals can become thousands in a very short period of time.