Pests can be a nuisance and eliminating them on time is essential for your plant’s good health. Thankfully, we have all the details about Common Houseplant Bugs and How to Get Rid of Them for you!
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Common Houseplant Bugs and How to Get Rid of Them
1. Aphids
Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and can wreak havoc on the plants by feeding on stems and foliage. They reproduce fast and eat plants in days.
REMEDY: This soft-body insect can be removed by a strong burst of water or spray of insecticidal soap. We also have a great article on getting rid of aphids here.
2. Leafminers
Zigzag lines on the leaves are the sign that the plant is affected by the leafminer. They are the larval (maggot) stage of an insect family and feed mainly on leaves. Commonly leafminer harm edible greens like spinach and swiss chard, but on a houseplant, the damage is just ugly.
REMEDY: Simply crush the larvae with your fingers and remove the damaged foliage.
3. Scales
Scales feed on the sap of the plant by penetrating into the plant tissue with their mouth, making the plant weak over time. They connect to the stem of the plant and coat themselves with an oval-shaped shell.
REMEDY: They can be easily handpicked. Also, dispose of infested leaves and stems. Spraying young scales with insecticidal soap.
4. Whiteflies
Whiteflies are a common houseplant bug that sucks sap on stems and foliage. They hide on the undersides of leaves, causing deformation, discoloration, and weakening of the plant. This bug reproduces fast, so if you find the infestation early, removing them will be easier.
REMEDY: To get rid of them, use yellow sticky traps and spray with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.
5. Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats mainly impact indoor houseplants. The adult ones do not cause much harm, but in the larval stage, they feed on roots together with fungus and debris in the potting soil.
REMEDY: Get rid of adult fungus gnat with yellow sticky traps. Also, allow the soil to dry out between watering to eliminate the eggs.
6. Spider Mites
Spider mites are close relatives of spiders and wound plants by sucking their sap, rendering the foliage weak and yellow. When the infestation turns worst, the leaves become entirely fragile, pale-yellow, and die soon.
REMEDY: You can get rid of spider mites by spraying the infected parts with an insecticidal soap solution. We have a detailed article on getting rid of spider mites here.
7. Thrips
Thrips are little insects that can injure a plant a lot. They attack in groups and cause damage to the leaves, fruits, and flowers. This bug also weakens the plant and deforms the growth.
REMEDY: Use neem oil or insecticidal soap solution for repelling thrips.
8. Springtails
Springtails are small wingless, insect-like creatures that thrive in moist soil. They mostly feed on roots but don’t cause much harm. These bugs stay in groups and look like a small cloud whey all of them spring upwards together.
REMEDY: You can deter them by blowing a strong jet of air. A solution of neem oil or insecticidal soap will also do the trick.
9. Mealybugs
Mealybugs are soft-bodied wingless insects that look like tiny cottony white blobs on the stems, leaves, and fruits. They feed on the plant’s sap causing yellowing of leaves and curling.
REMEDY: If you notice the infestation early, cut back the affected branches. We have a very informative article on eliminating mealybugs here.
10. Broad Mites
This common houseplant pest can do substantial damage to the tips of plants. Broad mites are too small to see with the eyes, but if the leaf tips start to appear deformed, stunted, or curled, then you can suppose its mites infestation. The plants that mostly get affected are begonia, cyclamen, African violets, and many tropical houseplants.
REMEDY: You can treat the issue by spraying the plant with a miticide, horticulture oil, or insecticidal soap. Normally, it is better to discard the infested plant so mites won’t spread.
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