Plant Pests

Aphids are small, oval-shaped insects that are typically green or a creamy white color. Usually, they colonize on the soft, new growth and undersides of leaves, and are quick to reproduce. Feeding off of the sap found in plants, aphids weaken the plant which can cause wilted foliage, yellowing, and stunted growth. They also leave behind a honeydew secretion that can encourage the fungal disease sooty mold.

To tackle an aphid infestation, use a clean, damp cloth to gently wash the surfaces of the plant. Alternatively, the plant can carefully be turned on its side, and then sprayed with a steady stream of water to help wash off the bugs. In the more extreme cases of infestation, diluted neem oil can be sprayed on the plant to act as a non-toxic insecticide. If aphids keep popping up, reapply the neem oil as needed every two weeks.

White, waxy, and fuzzy, mealybugs are woodlice resembling insects that typically live in groups along leaf-stem joints. They are sap-sucking, leaving behind honeydew that can attract ants and sooty mold. Plants infested with mealybugs may start to yellow, become distorted, or appear as if they are drying out.

Begin treatment by wiping off all of the visible insects with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol. If the plant is badly affected, rubbing alcohol or a neem oil solution can be sprayed directly onto the plant. Being sure to do regular foliage cleaning can help to prevent future outbreaks!

As suggested by their name, red spider mites are tiny reddish-brown spider-like creatures. Found mostly living in clusters on the undersides of leaves and leaf-stem joints, spider mites can also spin thin webs around the plant. Small, light-colored dots can appear on the foliage as a result of their sapsucking, and in more extreme cases their damage can lead to dropping of leaves.

Red spider mites thrive in hot, dry air, so implementing a daily routine of misting with cool, clean water is a good starting place for treatment. Try to prune out any heavily infested parts of the plant. Diluted neem oil can also be sprayed on all parts of the plant, acting as a non-toxic insecticide against spider mites. Making sure to listen to your plants watering needs as well as dusting the leaves with a damp clean cloth every so often are good measures to combat spider mites.

Scale insects can appear as swollen, brown disks attached to stems and the undersides of leaves. Scale insects can come in one of two types: soft or armored. The soft variety appear waxy and will feed on the sap of the plant, leaving behind large amounts of honeydew. The armored scale insects are shell-like and will latch on to one part of the plant, feeding underneath the armor. Plant damage due to scale insects is often noticed by a loss of vigor in the inflicted plant as well as a gradual yellowing of the leaves.

For less severe cases, simply use a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe away any bugs on the plant’s surface. Neem oil diluted in water can also be sprayed on the plant. This will not only act to kill any bugs actively trying to feed on the plant, but also will help repel future insects!

Vine weevils are a species of plant pest that can wreak the most havoc when in the larvae stage of their life cycle. Fat, cream colored worms with brown heads, vine weevil larvae make their homes in the soil. The larvae snack on the roots of the plant, which can lead to the collapsing of the foliage. The adult insects are beetle-like and may leave semicircular cuts on the sides of leaves as they feed. To treat a vine weevil problem, start by spraying the plant with an insecticide suitable for vine weevil control. Use a mixture of the insecticide and water, following the recommended dosage on the label, to water the soil of the plant in order to kill the larvae and eggs.

Small, moth-like creatures that congregate mostly on the undersides of leaves, whiteflies are another type of sap-sucking insect. Their eggs and nymphs also cluster on leaf underbellies. Not only do they leave behind honeydew, attracting sooty mold and ants, but they also can leave a dusty, white coating on the plant. Plants affected by whiteflies may experience stunted growth and leaf yellowing.

To help control the infestation, yellow sticky traps, which attract whiteflies but not beneficial insects, can be placed around the plant. These traps will also help to visualize when the whitefly population has been wiped out. Additionally, neem oil diluted in water, at a ratio of one ounce per gallon, should be sprayed on all surfaces of the plant at five day intervals.

Thrips are oblong, brown insects that resemble flies. Feeding in groups, thrips hop around the plant peircing flowers, leaves, and fruits. They are especially attracted to blooms that are light in color. Silvery mottling, which causes foliage to become pale and wrinkled, can be encouraged by thrip sap sucking. Other effects of a thrip problem are distortion in growth, and scarring.

Combat the damage done by thrips by ensuring that your plant is getting enough water. Keep your plant tidy! Actively pruning off any discolored or less healthy looking foliage and picking up any dropped leaves or buds on the soil, will help to reduce the number of thrip inhabitants. Diluted neem oil can be sprayed all around the plant every ten days until the infestation is dealt with.

To small to be seen by the naked eye, cyclamen mites suck sap out of the cells of the plant. Foliage that begins to curl, darken, and crumble, starting on the lower leaves, are signs that cyclamen mites are feeding off the plant. While they can prey on many species, African Violets, Begonias, and Cyclamen are most often affected.

Begin treatment by pruning off any damaged foliage. This will help to reduce numbers of mites as well as mitigate their reproduction. Use a suitable acaricide to spray all the surfaces of the plant.

One of the most common pests for houseplants, fungus gnats are tiny, gray flies that are most often noticed fluttering up from the soil when the plant is watered. While the adult gnats do not harm the plant, their larvae can feed off tender root hairs. This can lead to sudden wilting or yellowing, and is especially harmful to younger plants.

Fungus gnats are attracted to rich, moist soils and high humidity. As such, increasing the ventilation around the plant and making sure that it is not being overwatered can help curb gnat infestations. Keeping the soil a bit more dry, as well as tidying up any fallen plant matter will gradually kill off gnat larvae. Yellow sticky traps can be set around the plant to kill the adult flies and monitor their numbers.

Dryer sheets placed alongside the infestation also work to repel gnats.