Whiteflies have become a serious pest for far western growth cottons--principally in Arizona and in the Imperial and San Joaquin Valleys of California. Some problems associated with whitefly are: (1) leaf crumple disease vector, (2) honeydew secretions causing sticky cottons, and (3) sooty mold on the honeydew causing lowering of the cotton grade. The sticky cotton problem causes significant production and quality problems in the textile industry and is a bonafide threat to cotton marketability. Growers should be keenly aware of the seriousness of the textile problem and the importance of whitefly control. Methods for detection of the intense random honeydew contamination on cotton are needed so that strategies can be utilized to minimize processing difficulties. Methods potentially useful for detecting honeydew contamination and methods for enhancing processing quality are described.