Dealing with Houseplant Pests 101

Let's break down the basics of common houseplant pests and share simple tips to keep your green sanctuary safe!

Tiny intruders like spider mites, thrips, and others can silently and quickly compromise your plant’s health.

• Spider mites: Tiny arachnids that often go unnoticed until they’ve spun their web beneath leaves and around the stems of your plant. These nearly invisible pests extract nutrients from plant cells and multiply and spread rapidly. The damage manifests as yellowing, speckling, and eventual browning of leaves. To spot spider mites, inspect the underside of leaves closely - use a magnifying glass if you need to - they’re typically round-ish and off-white to black in color.
• Thrips: Slender, winged insects usually no more than 2mm in length. These pests feast on sap by puncturing leaf cells and draining the contents. Thrips leave behind stippled, silvery streaks on leaves, wonky growth, and can cause premature leaf drop. To identify these, look for tiny, off-white to nearly black slow-moving bugs on the tops and undersides of your leaves.
• Mealybugs: Small, soft-bodied insects covered in a cotton-like substance that forms a protective armor. Ranging from 1-5mm, they cluster on the underside of leaves, leaf joints, and stems. Mealies feed on plant sap, causing wilting, yellowing, and distorted growth. Their coating makes them appear fluffy and protects them from many insecticides. Just look for clusters of white cotton on your plant!
• Scale: These tiny pests often resemble small bumps or shells attached to the stems, leaves, or undersides of plant parts. They come in various colors and sizes depending on the species and their developmental stage. Scale insects feed on plant sap, causing yellowing, wilting, and stunted growth. To identify scale infestations, closely inspect your plant for brown-ish bumps or shells - if disturbed they may leave behind a sticky substance.
• Aphids: Similar in appearance to mealybugs, aphids are small with a soft appearance in a range of colors from green, black, white, or pink. They typically cluster on the undersides of leaves or tender new growth, sucking nutrients from the plant. Aphid infestations can cause leaves to curl, distort, or yellow and can spread viruses between plants. A key feature in spotting aphids is their pear-shaped body with two tube-like structures protruding from their behind 🍑

Be sure to regularly inspect your plants for signs of pests - unusual coloring, webbing, or leaf decline are all tells. Explore a pest prevention routine even before you have an outbreak with pesticides and insecticides. If you spot any crawlers on a plant, isolate it ASAP and treat accordingly.

Though prevention is always the best medicine, pests can sneak into our collection quickly and without notice. Here are some steps to take once you spot a creepy crawler:

The first step is to isolate the affected plant(s) from the rest of your collection to prevent pests from spreading to other plants. Once removed, assess the damage inflicted - check each leaf for discoloration, webs, or insects themselves on the foliage. Take note of what type of pest is present and the population that has set up camp - this will help determine the best treatment method.

After being able to ID your pest with our handy guide above, move on to your treatment plan based on the pest and the severity of the infestation. Natural remedies like neem oil or insecticidal soaps are effective for handling soft-bodied insects like aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites. For larger, more resilient pests like scale or thrips, you may need to use stronger insecticides. If you’re using chemical treatments, exercise caution indoors and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure safe and effective application.

Check out our organic Arber Insecticide!

Once you’ve chosen a treatment method, carefully follow the instructions for application. Apply treatment evenly to the affected plant parts, making sure to cover both sides of the leaves and the crooks inside of stem joints. For soil-dwelling pests like mealybugs and thrips, drench the soil with your solution to target the larvae hiding beneath the surface. Repeat treatment as necessary as prescribed.

After treating, monitor your plant regularly for any signs of resurrection. Inspect the foliage and soil periodically to check for new pest activity or damage. Implement preventative measures such as maintaining plant hygiene, avoiding overwatering, and even introducing beneficial predators to help keep pests at bay. 🐞