How to Identify and Control Houseplant Pests?
Most people have loved indoor plants in recent years; they grow these plants for decoration purposes. Many interior designers also provide ideas and spaces to plant some indoor plants and bring a unique green environment to the home. Indoor plants are also helpful, where you can grow many herbal products and small vegetables. It is also essential to maintain them to prevent the dangers and attraction of pests. Because the presence of plants will easily attract pests and insects to your home. In this article, we are going to discuss how to identify and control houseplant pests.
How to Identify and Control Houseplant Pests?
It’s easy to find the presence of pests around the plants, but knowing the correct species will help you to conduct a proper treatment. Let’s see the different kinds of insects that can damage your indoor plants also follow the DIY methods to be your home’s pest defender.
Scale insects
Scale insects are also known as brown scales, and it isn’t easy to find them as they are tiny and thin. They are usually oval-shaped, brown-colored insects and can grow up to 3 to 4 mm with waxy or armored coverings. They can often be found in plant stems, and they will suck the juice of plants through their spiky mouthparts to live. You can prevent them by following these methods,
- Cover the soil with a plastic bag
- Use a natural rosemary pesticide
- You can remove them using a toothbrush without damaging the plants
Spider Mites
Spider mites are tiny garden insects, and they are hard to find; they look like dust on the spider web. They can spin little webs and lay eggs around the soil and suck the life of plants. Use a natural fungicide to remove them; if they are still present in the plants, spray again after some weeks.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are soft-bodied insects that look like cotton balls. They are often mistaken for aphids or webs around the stem, but they are easy to eliminate. Follow these steps to eliminate them,
- Use alcohol-dipped Q-tip to eliminate them
- Spray your plant with insecticidal soap
- You can also use their natural enemies like lacewings
Note: Make sure the natural enemies you are using are not dangerous to the plants.
Aphids
Aphids are the most common pests that can damage your garden plants. You can manually remove them with your finger or use natural enemies like lacewings or ladybird larvae. But make sure the natural enemy you are using is a beneficial garden insect that does not harm your plants.
Whiteflies
Whiteflies are among the most common insects that can suck nutrients and even kill plants. They are usually found under the leaves; it is important to remove them immediately to prevent your plants from danger. You can use a garden hose or place a yellow sticky trap to catch and eliminate them.
Conclusion
The above-listed are the common insects that can damage your indoor pants. I hope the article will help spot and eliminate those tiny insects. If you cannot remove them with these DIY methods, hire a professional pest control service.