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Signs of damage
The most common houseplant pests are scales, spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, and white flies.
- The effects of all these pests on the plant are fairly similar – yellowing leaves and stunted growth. What you need to look for to find out whether your plant is infected are insects themselves and traces of their activity.
- Scales are small bugs that don’t even move when they reach maturity. They stick to the stems and undersides of the leaves, resembling little bumps.
- Spider mites are very small and look like dark specks on the leaves. It’s hard to notice them, but you may find silky white webs they produce on your plant.
- Mealybugs are small pale insects that you can usually find on the undersides of the leaves and in leaf axils (where the leaf attaches to the stem). You can find waxy deposits on the plant as well.
- Aphids are small green pear-shaped insects you can find on the undersides of leaves and on new growth.
- White flies are small white insects that resemble small moths. The immature insects don’t move much but cause a lot of damage to the plant.
How to prevent
Pests are usually brought home with a new plant or with a plant left outdoors for summer. Before bringing any new plant indoors, carefully check the plant and soil for signs of pests. Isolate a new plant from other plants for several weeks, and check it several times for signs of pests, especially on the undersides of the leaves.
Also, use only commercial soil for your houseplants, not the soil from your garden.
Washing your plants from time to time can also help. You can rinse the plant in a lukewarm shower or gently wipe the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves with a wet cloth.
Heal
Most pests are killed in a similar manner. Early infestation can be dealt with by repeatedly spraying the plant with water and using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to remove the pests. Spraying the plant with insecticidal soap or neem oil can also be helpful.
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