Houseplant bugs usually enter your habitation as undesirable stowaways on freshly purchased industrial plant . Once in your home , they can quickly spread to other houseplant , where they damage plants by actively feeding on the leave or sucking the juices from plants . Insect pests on outdoor plant are often moderate by natural predators , such as snake in the grass , frogs , birds and beneficial insects . Seasonal conditions changes also help controller insects outdoors . In your house , however , you are the only protection from insect plague . Once introduced into your home , houseplant hemipterous insect are often unmanageable to eradicate . Many pests carry or spread disease , as well . Careful leverage and initial care will help oneself reduce insect problems .
Some plants seem to attract more pests than others . Plants , such as Cyclamen purpurascens or African violet , that have fragrant flower or attendant botany are usually more attractive to pests than hardy flora with woody stem , such as corn whiskey plants . opt plants that involve little maintenance to stay salubrious and you ’ll likely scale down problems with disease and worm gadfly .
recognition of Houseplant Bugs
CC flickr photo courtesy of James Bowe
Most houseplant bugs are small and strong to see . Whitefliesare a common problem in greenhouse culture and , as their name implies , are small , white fly that dwell on the undersides of leaves . wanderer mitesare little , spider - same insects that may be red , browned , gray , fateful or spotted . You might confusemealybugswith a plant disease . These unusual insects rarely move , but sit on the plant life , resemble tiny spots of white cotton .
Aphidsare usually wingless insect , less than ¼ inch long , and grizzly , fleeceable , red or brown . They also hold out on the undersides of leaves . Thripsare very lilliputian and you credibly will detect the damage they cause before you see them . Scalesare chocolate-brown , white or pick insects that form in colonies on plants . When massed near together , they may not front like dirt ball at all , but an infective ontogeny on the flora .
hurt from Houseplant Bugs
Almost all houseplant pests suck the juice of the plants through pierce mouth parting . Feeding results in yellowed , wilt or limp leaves and stems . You may also notice honeydew , a sticky substance secreted by aphid and whitefly on the leave of absence . Honeydew , in turn , attract sooty moulding , an unattractive smutty growing that feeds on the honeydew . thripid and wanderer mites burrow through the leaves , leave belittled , clean stipled areas on the leaf . You may also notice transparent spot or web on the underside of the leaves .
Preventing Bugs in your Houseplants
Buy houseplant at a reputable nursery and examine plant nearly for signs of insect infestation . bet under the folio and avoid plants with ragged , yellow or drooping leaves , which are signs of insect plague or disease .
When you first wreak a plant nursing home , wash its leaves in a gentle current of piss to reposition any stowaway . Quarantine the works in a way away from other houseplants for two to three weeks to ensure that it has no pest or disease problems . agree it day by day , take care under the farewell and on the stems of the plant . Another pick is to place a plastic grip over the plant life for a few day to enchant any escape pests .
If you move plants out of doors during the summer , follow the same procedures when moving them indoors in the fall .
Keep houseplants goodly by providing proper develop term . Most houseplants need moderately moist soil and shining illumination . tidy houseplants are just able to stand off insect infestations . Clean up any dead leave and industrial plant debris and wash away the plant from time to time to take out dust . Avoid over fertilizing houseplants , which promote speedy raw increment and makes them more vulnerable to damage from insects and disease .
Control of Houseplant Bugs
The least invasive control for houseplant insect is a stream of water . Cover the basis of the plant with your hired hand to keep the soil in the pot and turn the plant upside down . Wash it gently over a sump to dislodge any pests .
Spray the plant with insecticidal easy lay or oil color to control most houseplant insects . Insecticidal soaps and oils work by cake the flabby bodies of these pestilence , smother them and dry them out . cake the leaf thoroughly , both cover and posterior with the ware every workweek . splatter aphids and mealybugs with fret alcohol on a cotton wool ball .
Pesticides , such as pyrethrum or neem oil , effectively see houseplant worm , but observe package counselling cautiously and take the plant outside to go for the pesticide . quash the use of pesticides on houseplants , if potential , to reduce your exposure to these chemical . Often , the best course is to discard a sternly infested houseplant , since treatment is difficult and the louse will likely overrun other plants , as well .
For Further interpretation on key and Managing Houseplant Insects and pestis
Colorado State University – Managing Houseplant Pests
University of Minnesota – Houseplant Insect Control
