Types of houseplants bugs

house plant pests

Although proper lighting and watering are two of the most important steps in growing the right indoor plants, houseplants need to constantly monitor their plants for signs of pests. There are many types of houseplant bugs, and arming yourself with a little information can go a long way in preventing or eliminating the infection.

Prevents houseplant pest attacks

Some houseplants are definitely more prone to pest problems than others, but houseplant bug problems can be prevented by following a few simple steps.

Carefully inspect all new plants before bringing them into your home. Many types of houseplants enter your home from the nursery where the plants are grown. Before buying new plants (or "taking a detour" from friends and family), look for signs of common houseplants from the top of the plant to the underside of the leaves, stems, and even the soil. Below I am going to introduce you.

Even if you think a new plant is insect-free, it may contain insect eggs or young insects that you have not yet seen. Before placing new houseplants you already have, isolate them in a separate room for a few weeks. Pay close attention to the symptoms of house pests and keep in close contact with other plants only after the absence of pests has been confirmed. You can also place some yellow sticky cards on top of the plant. Many insect pests are attracted to yellow, and they quickly get stuck on the cover. Check the card once every few days for any pests. If you have some on the card, you can have many more on the plant.

Before moving them indoors, "detoxify" any houseplants that have spent the summer outside. Although most houseplants prefer to stay outside during the warmer months, they do come back in on a variety of houseplant bugs. The day before moving the houseplants into the house, spray the entire plant - including the lower leaf surfaces and stems - with a sharp stream of spray from the hose, exposing the spray nozzle. It is often necessary to remove any pests before moving the plant inside.

Sharp care skills certainly allow you to control a wide variety of houseplant bugs before their population explodes. Inspect the plants weekly throughout the year and check for signs of pests and their damage.

Another sign that you may have one of several different types of houseplant bugs in the presence of a sticky substance on the plant or on the table surface or under the plant. This glossy, sticky substance is called honeydew, and it is the repellent of various pests, including all the houseplants mentioned below. The presence of bees is a clear sign of pest problems.

Types of houseplant pests

The warm, steady temperature of most homes is ideal for rapid insect breeding. In addition, without ladybugs, parasitic wasps, and other beneficial insects in your home to control pests, houseplants can become complete pests from a few places all the time. Here are five common types of houseplant bugs and what to do about them.

Fungus gnats

Adult fungal chicks are very annoying. These little black flies are a classic example of a nuisance insect. When an infected plant is disturbed, small flies lift the soil from the cloud. Adult mosquitoes live for a week and even if they are painful they will not damage your plants. Larvae often do not eat the fungi that grow naturally in pot soil. Eggs and larvae need water to survive, so fungal infections occur as a result of over-irrigation. Simple reduction of irrigation is often required to control this common houseplant pest. But, if it does not do the trick, a product like Knotnix will definitely take care of the problem.

One of the most common types of houseplant bugs, the size is sometimes difficult to diagnose. There are different species, each with a unique appearance, but the most common houseplant insect scales look like small bumps and are found at the base of stems and leaves. Scale insects often have a hard, shell-like lid that is difficult to detect and control. They can be gray, black, brown or fuzzy.

Most of the bees I mentioned above leave bees, so if you see a shiny sheen on the plant, measure it. When it comes to houseplant bug problems, size is very difficult to control. I like to wipe my plants with a special cotton pad (like these) soaked in isoprene rubbing alcohol. Wiping the insect several times in a few weeks provides better control. But, another option

Use an organic, neem-based insecticide. Take the plant to a garage or outdoors and follow the label instructions.

Whiteflies:

This common houseplant does not survive the winter temperatures of frost, so it is usually only annoying outside in the south. But whiteflies are one of the most complex types of house bugs because when they are indoors, the insects are protected from freezing temperatures and their population grows very fast. Whitefly often appears through a plant purchased in an infected greenhouse, which carefully inspects any new plants. These small, white, moth-like flies are found at the base of the leaves and fly off the plant quickly when disturbed. Because whiteflies reproduce so quickly, their sap-sucking behavior will cause plants to wither, and stunted and yellow foliage. Whiteflies are instantly trapped by placing yellow sticky cards above the plant tops. Applications of pesticide soap and horticultural oil are also effective. All three of these products work best when in direct contact with the pest, so try not to disturb the plant when applying, and cover the upper and lower leaf surfaces.

Aphids:

Even if they are small, aphids can cause big problems. Of all the types of houseplant bugs discussed here, I often encounter aphids on my own houseplants. Small and teardrop-shaped, aphids can be black, green, red, yellow, or brown. Sometimes they have wings, sometimes they do not, but they are often found together at the base of new growth or leaves. When they absorb plant sap through needle-like oral areas, aphids degenerate and inhibit growth. Small infections can be easily wiped off with a soft, plant-friendly cloth soaked in water, but like all types of houseplants, when there is a major infection, other measures may be needed. Aphids can be controlled naturally with hot pepper wax, horticultural oil, or pesticide soap. Be sure to use these products so they are in direct contact with the aphids for best results.

Spider mites:

There are many types of houseplant bugs, but spider mites can have the largest "hippie GB" factor. In fact, these are not all bugs. Rather, they are close relatives of spiders. These young-small houseplant pests infect not only the plants but also the homeowner. Although you cannot see them without the help of a magnifying glass, once you know they are in your home, it is difficult to remove them from your mind. The spider weaves delicate, silky webs, and overall, they can cover the entire plant with it. If you look carefully, you will see small dots crawling on the network; They themselves are insects. But before you throw your spider-infected ivy or palm tree in the trash, you can take a few steps to control this common houseplant. First, take the plant outside or in the bath and "wash" it in clear water. Spider mites are small and easily washed from the plant. Rinse the upper and lower leaf surfaces. Then, after the plant is completely dry, use lightweight horticultural oil to suppress them. Reapply the horticultural oil every 10-14 days for two more applications for better control.

Although some indoor plant pests can occasionally prove problematic, these five types of houseplants are the most common. But, by following the five prevention steps outlined at the beginning of this article and using the recommended mechanical and organic product controls, most of these little pages can be prevented from causing any real problems.