Homiful.com -- Caring for houseplants is fun. They bring freshness to the air. However, be careful! Plants also invite pests. Pests are very troubling. Houseplant pests are not just insect that can be seen easily, such as grasshoppers or caterpillars. There are also small pests that will unknowingly make your plant dying. Thus, you need to know the pests that often appear on your houseplants. To help you out of a bit, we've gathered 7 of the Most Common Houseplant Pests and How to Get Rid of Them.
Spider mites
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You should start to worry if you see tiny speckles or dots on the leaves. This may be a sign that your houseplants have spider mites. Spider mites are difficult to see with the naked eye. However, if you pay attention or using a magnifying glass, you will see webbing on the plants. Spider mates will make the leaves turn yellow and fall to the ground. They thrive in rapidly, even double population in warm and dry condition.
How to Get Rid of Spider Mites
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| WallyGrow |
Kill the spider mites by destroying the net with a heavy flow of water from the house. Make sure the flow of water does not destroy the leaves of the plant as well. Alternatively, dilute 1 cup of alcohol to 30 oz of water and pour it on a spray bottle. Spray on the sides of the leaves and clean it with a paper towel.
Aphid
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Aphids are a small sap-sucking insect. Common name for them green fly or blackfly. They are so small, less than a quarter inch. Aphids love the growth of new plants. They weaken the plants by eating stems, branches and soft buds. Aphids also suck the sap, which is rich in nutrients.
Aphid natural predators are ladybugs. Alternatively, use the vigorous blast of water from the hose. You can also use insecticidal soap. Mix 1 tablespoon of pure liquid soap with 1 liter of water, then spray on the affected plant parts. They are quite-persistent, so repeat the treatment once a week until it goes away completely.
Silverleaf whitefly
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Silverleaf whitefly likes to suck and feed on plant juices. Making the plant dying. You will find them in small colonies on the underside of the leaves or in the small gaps between the leaves and the stem.
They can be removed in various ways:
1. Spray the leaves or plant parts with water.
2. Use a hose or spray with a strong spray.
3. Pick the affected part, and throw it as far as possible.
4. Spray it with a mixture of water and soap.
5. Using vegetable pesticides, such as aromatic or organic neem oil.
Thrips
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Thrips are a common houseplant pest. They feed on plants, these insects make the leaves wither and have tiny black specks. Thrips leave drops of dirt that are like block spots.
How to get rid of thrips
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You can use blue sticky traps to control adult thrips. Alternatively, use an oil-based spray or spray your plants with organic insecticidal soap.
Scale
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Scale insect sucks on the sap of the tree and rob the plant of essential nutrients. Normally, you'll find them on the underside of the leaves. Plants damaged by pest scale attacks will look scaly and wither. Over time, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. To get rid of the scale pest, remove or rub gently from the leaves and stems. Another way, apply each leaf with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol
Fungus Gnats
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Fungus gnats are a type of small fly that hovers around plants. Adult Fungus gnats cause little damage, but their larvae feed on roots and organic matter in the soil. You can tackle the adults by using yellow stick traps. Allow a few days for the soil to dry to kill the eggs and larvae. You can also use dryer sheets to keep them away.
Mealybug
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Mealybug is a kind of scale insect. These insects are soft-bodied like small flakes. Mealybug like to suck the juice from the plant, making the plant look wilted. Mealybugs spread very quickly, sometimes hard to control. Remove infected roots before they spread. You can also dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and rub it on the mealybug.
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Author : Yeni
Editor : Munawaroh
Source : Various sources
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