Little Bugs on House Plants

Many bugs can infect your plants.

Houseplant pests can bite plant leaves, suck sap and drain the vitality from your plant. Inspect plants regularly so you can treat pest infestations and keep your indoor garden healthy.

Types

Whiteflies, mites (including spider mites), scale insects and mealybugs are four common houseplant pests. Whiteflies, as their name suggests, look like small white flies, while spider mites are small greenish-yellow bugs. Scale insects come in many colors and resemble hard spots, and mealybugs are soft white pests.

Considerations

Bugs on houseplants can weaken your plants or kill them, and infestations worsen if they're not treated. Pests can jump from one plant to another.

Treatment

Use neem oil, or other horticultural oil or insecticidal soap sprays for easy, reliable pest treatment. For minor infestations, spray the plant leaves with water to dislodge pests, or swab leaves with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Tips

According to Colorado State University, scale insects, mealybugs and whiteflies most commonly infest houseplants through the purchase of new, infested plants. Whenever you bring a new plant into your home, isolate it for three weeks to ensure it doesn't have pests, and remove it from isolation when you're satisfied it won't spread any infestation.

References

• Colorado State University: Managing Houseplant Pests
• University of Minnesota: Houseplant Insect Control