Technical Abstract: The potential upper thermal limits of the silverleaf whitefly were evaluated in the laboratory. Leaves infested with whitefly nymphs and pupae were collected from the field and exposed to a series of increasing temperatures in a drying oven. Heat treatments began at ~158°F (~70°C) and increased at ~10-15 degree intervals until 100% mortality was observed. Controls consisted of 4 additional leaves per run not exposed to the thermal treatment. Both treated and control leaves were then placed individually in petri dishes lined with filter paper and maintained in an incubator at 25°C under a photoperiod of 14:10 LD for ~1 week. Emergence of silverleaf whitefly adults from pupae/nymphs exposed to increasing thermal levels remained relatively similar until temperatures of over 300°F were reached. Temperature did not appear to impact adult emergence until treatments of 331°F (166°C) or greater were reached. Control emergence remained relatively constant, averaging ~70.9%. This research establishes baseline data for the upper thermal limits of silverleaf whitefly survival. Implications for thermal defoliation are briefly discussed.