Preventing Pests in Your Houseplants

The recent resurgence of the indoor plant trend has highlighted the many benefits homeowners can gain from growing foliage indoors. Cleaner air, improved health and a relaxing living environment make houseplants a great addition to any home, but their presence increases the risk of unknowingly introducing pesky pests. While many of these insects are harmless to humans and animals, knowing that nearby plants are infested with pests is enough to keep any homeowner awake at night. Whether you're new to growing plants or a seasoned plant pro, here's what you need to know about identifying houseplant pests and preventing infestations.

Where do houseplant pests come from?

The most common houseplant pests enter our homes in a variety of ways. Plants purchased from a nursery or stored outside during the summer months often bring pests indoors. Likewise, pests can hide in open bags of soil and enter your home during replanting. Leaving windows and doors open during the warm season, even accidentally, will also lead to the appearance of these pests indoors.

Although many nurseries and plant stores do their best to minimize houseplant pests, some insects are too small to be seen with the naked eye and therefore go undetected. Knowing how to identify insects in houseplants can help you prevent potential infestations.

Common houseplant pests

1. aphid

2. Aphids are one of the most common pests of houseplants and can also be one of the most harmful. Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on plant sap. These beetles can be red, yellow, green, black or brown. Due to their feeding habits, these insects typically infest food plants and leave behind a sticky, sweet residue. These residues attract other insects, such as ants, to infested houseplants and can also accelerate the growth of mold. Aphids reproduce quickly in the spring, meaning that in just a few weeks your plants could be faced with a massive aphid infestation.

3. Brown scale

4. Although there are more than 8,000 species of scale insects, the most common on houseplants are the brown scales. They are only a few millimeters long and appear as small brown spots on the stem and leaves of the plant, making these insects difficult to identify until the infestation becomes severe. Luckily, brown scales are relatively immobile, so once you spot a cluster of brown scales, they will be easy to locate and remove.

5. Mealybugs

6. If you've ever noticed small, cotton wool-like spots on a plant, chances are you've seen a mealybug. These sticky insects can reach ¼ inch in length and do not cause significant damage to houseplants at lower population levels. However, female mealybugs lay 300-600 eggs at a time. Within a few weeks, mealybugs may become widespread among your houseplants, which can weaken them and make them more susceptible to disease.

7. Whitewoods

8. Unlike closely related mealybugs, whiteflies can actually fly, making infestations easier to spot. These insects congregate on the undersides of leaves and can cause them to yellow and fall off the plant. Whiteflies appear almost translucent and can be identified by their oval, moth-like shape.

9. spider mite

10. Although spider mites are not technically insects, they can still wreak havoc on your houseplants. These arthropods, which average just 1/50 of an inch in length, are virtually impossible to see with the naked eye. Once their population becomes larger, their presence begins to resemble a reddish-brown web on the leaves of the plant. A large spider mite infestation can cause discoloration, wilting, and leaf drop.

11. Mushroom gnats

12. If you've cared for houseplants before, you're probably very familiar with fungus gnats. In adulthood, these harmless insects are nothing more than a nuisance. However, most of the damage occurs during the larval stage. Fungus gnat larvae thrive in moist soils and eat plant roots and fungi found in the soil. Fortunately, these small insects are relatively easy to remove and, unless they occur in large numbers, will cause minimal harm to houseplants.

13. Thrips

14. Thrips, another miniature houseplant pest, are approximately 1/25 of an inch long and appear as a brown or black oval with thin wings. Thrips reproduce very quickly and are attracted to indoor plants with white or yellow flowers. Thrips-infested plants become discolored and spotted before eventually dying.

15. How to prevent houseplant pests

16. Many common houseplant pests can cause serious damage if they get out of control. Taking a few preventative measures will help keep your plants healthy and strong.
17. If the seven pests listed above are any indication, houseplant pests can multiply quickly and cause damage seemingly overnight. Make it a habit to check your plants weekly for early signs of pest infestation. In general, noticeable discoloration, weakening of leaves and stems, and the growth of new mold are signs of infestation. Many of the most damaging pests are too small to see without assistance, so purchasing a small magnifying glass can help you find these small insects.
18. Knowing what your plants need to stay healthy can be one of the best preventative steps you can take. Overwatering and lack of sunlight can cause mold and create damp soil that pests love, while underwatering and lack of moisture can weaken the plant and make it more susceptible to damage. Before you buy a plant, make sure you can provide it with the environment it needs to thrive.
19. If possible, keep new and/or infected plants separate from other houseplants. Keeping these plants separated for at least a month can help you get your pest problem under control before placing them near healthier plants. Considering that many houseplant pests take several weeks to a month to become noticeably present, isolating these plants will let you know if your plant was infested with insects before purchasing and will help you avoid spreading the pests to other plants in your home.
20. Houseplant pests are an inevitable part of growing plants, and not all pests are dangerous. Knowing which pests will cause serious damage to your plants will help you prevent that damage. Our team of pest control experts offers effective solutions to protect your indoor plants from harmful insects. Contact us today to receive a free quote.