Early diagnosis of pest problems is essential in maintaining healthy house plants. Plants should be frequently examined. An aid is use of a magnifying lens (10 X). Houseplant pests may cause very characteristic damage to plants. However, some plant diseases closely resemble pest damage. Pests that cause damage include:
Aphids, whiteflies, scales, and mealybugs - Collections of sweet and sticky deposits on the surface of leaves or stems, oftem resulting in the growth of black mold.
Aphids, whiteflies, and mites - Leaves yellowed and curled or distorted.
Whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and mealybugs - Leaves have mottled appearance with small yellow specks or generally yellowed.
Mites - Leaves have yellowish pepper-and-salt speckling with fine webbing between small branches or in new growth.
Scales - Leaves and leaf stems with small, rounded, or elongated, brown, black, yellowish, or white bumps.
Close observation, sound interpretation, and prompt remedial action are activities that belong to the TLC (Tender Loving Care) Method of successfully maintaining beautiful house plants. Remember, not all problems are caused by insects or their relatives or disease causing agents. Many house plant problems are caused by improper care; that is too much, insufficient or improper water, light, temperature, fertilizer, or soil conditions.
PEST |
DESCRIPTION |
| Aphids or Plant Lice | Small, easily seen, soft-bodied, green, gray, brown, black, or reddish insects with slender legs that gather together on young shoots and foliage. Reproduce rapidly by bearing live young. They exude a sticky substance attractive to ants, called "honeydew." Can cause dis tortion of foliage and flowers. |
| Mealybugs | Tuftsof cottony-looking material surrounding soft-bodies of insects. Found on the undersides and axils of the leaves and young shoots. They exude a sticky substance called "honeydew" on which grows a black mold. Mealybugs live by sucking plant juices. |
| Scale Insects | Small, rounded or elongated, brown, black, yellowish, or white bumps on stems and undersides of leaves. The bumps can be easily lifted or scraped off. They exude substance called "honeydew." Stunted or poor growth may result. Scale insects suck plant juices. |
| Whiteflies | Little moth-like insects that fly in small clouds, when the plant is disturbed. Mostly found on undersides of the leaves. Foliage turns a pale color, becomes sticky with "honeydew." A black mold can develop. Whiteflies suck plant juices. |
| Earthworms | Surface soil is disturbed and lumpy. Tunnels are evident in root ball when plant is removed from pot. Earthworms in the root ball may damage potted plants by disturbing roots and grinding the soil into too fine a condition for healthy growth. |
| Spider Mites | Grayish or yellowish pepper-and salt speckling of leaves. Fine webbing may be present on undersides of leaves. Minute (almost microscopic) creatures found on the undersides of leaves. Suck plant juice. Favored by hot, dry conditions. |
| Thrips | Very small, barely visible, fast moving creatures. Tan, brown, or black in color. Feed on foliage or flowers. They rasp the tissues and suck plant juices. Distorted growth. |
| Springtails | Tiny whitish insects jumping on the soil surface. Do no appreciable harm. |
| Cyclamen & Broad Mites | Crinkling and other distortion, chiefly of young leaves. Tissues become more or less brittle. Distortion of buds and flowers. Found on cyclament and African violets. Tiny creatures invisible to the naked eye. These mites suck plant juices. |
| Fungal Gnat | Very small, black flies hovering about the plant. Do no appreciable harm. |
| Sowbugs & Pillbugs | Tiny, shell-like creatures, one form rolls intself into a ball. Prefer moist surroundings in or near rotten wood, decaying or organic matter. Can injure stems and roots of plants. |
| Psocids (Bark-lice) | Very small, soft-bodied insects with either four wings or none at all. Feed upon molds or fungi. Abound in damp places. Do no harm to plants. |
| Slugs or Snails | Soft-bodied creatures with or without shells. Found around dark, moist, decaying matter. They exude a slime that hardens and leaves a visible trail. |
| False Spider Mites | Similar to mites or red spider. Minute. Suck plant juices. Pepper-and-salt speckling of leaves. |
| Ants | Small, brown, or black insects with pinched waists. May disturb plant roots or make disfiguring mounds. Feed on sticky secretion produced by aphids. Can spread disease-causing agents. |
