In this study we asked whether, in the context of a trap crop system. differential predation risks among plants influence choice patterns of Bemisia argentifolii. We whether adult whiteflies avoid natural enemies inhabiting poinsettia (a cash crop) and whether this behavior can be used to increase the movement of whiteflies to cucumber (a trap crop) The potential of cucumber as a trap crop was first evaluated and we found that significantly more whiteflies were attracted to cucumber when the whiteflies were released between the two plants. However, the accumulation of whiteflies on cucumber substantially d if the insects had first settled on poinsettia. Under such circumstances, we investigated whether movement of adult whiteflies to cucumber could be increased A creating conditions that would cause the whiteflies that had settled on poinsettia to leave the plant. test this hypothesis, The shake mechanical disturbance, consisting of shaking the plant, was first used to compared to undisturbed ing caused more leave poinsettia and move onto the trap induce white- whiteflies. We then asked whether the presence of natural enemies on the cash crop could flies to leave the cash crop and move onto the trap crop. Three natural enemies were tested: two of tors, Amblyseius swirskii and Delphastus catalinae, and a parasitoid Encarsia formosa. The presence to D catalinae on poinsettia induced significantly more whiteflies to disperse to cucumber compared poinsettia with no natural enemies, whereas A swirskii and E formosa did not result in a significant increase. Predator avoidance behavior by adult whiteflies should be investigated further in the context of trap cropping and other crop-habitat alterations designed to help manage whitefly abundance. 2011 Elsevier Inc. rights reserved.