Pests of interior plants and how to get rid of them
Interior plants have many enemies, and to fight them, it is important to determine exactly what pests are found on them. We will try to give you detailed information about the most common pests of interior plants, the symptoms of their presence, describe ways to destroy them, as well as the necessary preventive measures to prevent their appearance.
The most common pests of interior plants and the fight against them
Shilds, false caterpillars and the fight against them
Schilda is a sucking pest of the family, which is half wounded and feeds on plants of plants. They parasitize on stems and the underside of leaves, weaken the plant and release sticky excrement on which a sooty fungus develops. If there is a mass infestation of plants with signs, you can see how the smooth surface of the leaves is covered with small tubercles of the suckers. Male moths can fly, but have no spinning apparatus, as they live very little, and oval or rounded females are covered with a dense sign – a waxy cover, which protects them from mechanical damage and exposure to chemicals. The larvae of shieldworms are very similar to females, but have no protective coating. The types of signs found on indoor plants are:
- Calif;
- palm;
- pink;
- Ivy;
- Cactus;
- Laurel;
- Oleander.
Scyllids parasitize on many indoor plants, but most often they try to infest lemons and orchids.
Incorrectly shown are also dangerous suckers, close relatives of scutes, but their carapace is not covered with wax. In space culture, the wrong large and voluminous hemispheres, from which ferns, myrtles and asparagus suffer more than other plants. False darlings also make sticky sugary excrement on leaves of occupied plants – a copper pad, which is a cheap medium for spreading fungal infections, in particular sooty fungus.
Control measures: Inspect plants regularly and don’t forget to check the underside of the leaves. If you find a small number of signs, it is easier to get rid of them by removing them along with the leaf. If the signs have multiplied, the adults should be removed from the plant mechanically: with a toothbrush soaked in soap solution or alcohol, after which the affected areas should be blotted with a weak solution of vinegar. Larvae are destroyed within two weeks by three-week treatment of crushed plant organs with a solution of 30 g of green potassium soap in 1 L of water, garlic infusion or insecticide solution. Actellic, carbofos, armpit or fitoverm.
Powerfronts
Feeding worms are sucking insects that also belong to the semi-hardworm family and also feed on the cell sap of the plant. These oval-shaped, fluffy jointed bugs, no larger than 5 mm in size, have a white waxy coating that excretes in leaf axils, on stems and with a crushed orange liquid. The tufts look like lumps of white absorbent cotton. In pest-infested plants, the leaves become sluggish, yellow and fall off. Worms and the root system of flowers are affected, causing them to stop hearing and developing. Succulents and cacti are mostly affected by mealybugs.
Control measures: First of all pests should be removed from the external organs with a damp cotton disk. If the roots of the plant are affected, it is necessary to wash off the soil and pests, remove the damaged areas, and then treat the intestinal system with products: the aforementioned actellic, underarm, fytoverm, carbofos or the equally effective Iskra-Bio, Karate and Inta-Vira.
Travelling
Traveling black or dark brown bugs are about 1.5 mm long. Like other suckers, they appear on plants in conditions of high temperature and low humidity and prefer to breed on the underside of the leaf plate, where they are difficult to recognize. Female thrips lay their eggs in tiny holes they make in buds or leaves. The presence of thrips can be recognized by the whitish-silvery pattern and small black dots on the leaves. Thrips cause plants to die back, their affected flowers to become deformed, and their shoots to become crooked. Fuchsias, codiums and begonias are affected by thrips more than other indoor plants.
Control measures: The leaves of thrips-infested plants are washed with soap and water. Against thrips, it is better to use systemic chemical preparations, as contact insecticides are ineffective. A good result in thrips control showed “Vertorek”, “Norell-D” and double treatment at intervals of 7-10 days with a solution of 2 g pyrethrum in 1 liter of water. Of folk remedies for destroying pests use decoction of cyclamen tubers, tobacco and yarrow.
The inner ring of black, green, orange or gray is not 3 mm, although it is usually smaller – about 1 mm. The offspring of the aphid matures in a week after being born, and the pest produces 8 to 10 generations during the growing season. Aphids feed on plant sap by making small punctures in the leaf lamina. The excrement of aphids is a copper block that spoils furniture, and if the plants are completely lined with aphids, a sooty fungus can develop in areas where this sweet coating is covered. Aphids are susceptible to plants overfed with nitrogen fertilizer or suffering from irregular watering.
Aphids accumulate on the underside of leaves and stems and cluster around growth points. Buds, young leaves, and prostrate leaves are the first to suffer from the pest. When the bluetongue becomes too numerous, flying individuals appear among them and easily move to other flowers and plants. The worst harm of aphids is that they are carriers of viral diseases for which there is no cure. This pest prefers roses, fuchsias, abutilon and aroids, although it can damage other plants as well. Ficus and wolfsbane, as well as hardy bromeliad plants, suffer the slightest aphid damage.
Control measures: In the early stages of aphid occupation, you can simply remove a wet cotton swab from the plant or wash the plant with warm water. But this method is not suitable for large breasts and only transplanted plants. You can get rid of aphids by spraying the infested plant with a soapy solution. When using insecticides, remember that they must be changed alternately, as the aphids will easily get used to the chemicals and stop responding to them. Effective against the pest are all the same actara, actara, phytoferm, good results show antitin, pyrimicarb, derris and perm.
Regardless of how you treat the plant against aphids, do not forget to wash it thoroughly after a while to remove many dead pests.
Whitefly.
White flies look like small white moths. Like other pests, they settle on the underside of leaves. If a plant is disturbed, the butterflies hover in a white cloud over it. Whiteflies feed on plant sap and secrete honeydew, on which the sooty fungus parasitizes. Whiteflies and plants with thin, delicate leaves live most often: Begonia, pelargoniums, balsamines. As a result of pest activity, the leaves of plants turn yellow and fall off.
Control measures: Unfortunately, insecticides can kill only one adult whitefly, so infested plants must be treated regularly with chemicals every 10 days. Resmethrin, permethrin, and pyrimiphos-methyl are effective against the pests. Yellow sticky traps are recommended against adult whiteflies.
Mourning mosquitoes (mushroom mosquitoes)
Mourning mosquitoes enter our homes with the floor in the form of larvae, develop in it and turn into small gray-black ones, but remain in the substrate and leave it only when watering or other maintenance measures are taken. Larvae can damage the roots of weakened plants or feed on the tender roots of seedlings. Waste and excess nutrients in the substrate contribute to an increase in these pests. So how to get rid of the flower mosquito on houseplants?
Control measures: Mosquitoes can be eliminated by irrigating the soil with a solution of malathion or permethrin, and a moderate watering and fertilizing regime should be introduced.
Nematodes
Nematodes – microscopic worms not visible to the naked eye – infect houseplants rarely, but if they appear, you have to say goodbye to the plant: Nematodes damage the roots, which become lazy, and as a result, the leaves of affected flowers join, shrivel up, stop developing and fall off. Large swellings on the plant roots are a sure sign that nematodes are present.
Control measures: You can try to save the ficus or philodendron from nematodes by heating the flower pot in water at 50 ° C for an hour, but other plants are unlikely to survive such a process.
Mite
Alpine violet (strawberry) mite
The strawberry or alpine violet mite infects indoor plants such as pelargoniums, senpolias, balsamins and alpine venus trees. These small arachnids collect on the ends of shoots, the underside of leaves, and in flower buds and appear in large numbers as dust deposited on the outer organs of the plant. Mites feed on tissues, causing plant organs to form creases, become deformed and covered with light brown spots. Affected buds wither and flowers lose their coloration. Alpine violets are comfortable in high humidity and can multiply quickly in winter.
Control measures: FITOVERM, Actellic, Actara, Acarine and other preparations of similar effect are effective against the pest.
Insecticides have little effect on arachnids, so acaricides or insectoacaricides are used to kill mites.
Spider mites
Red spider mites are almost invisible to the eye, but if you examine the leaves carefully, you can find tiny discolored areas – the pests suck the juice of the plant. Of all pests of houseplants, spider mites are the most dangerous. They form numerous colonies on the tips of shoots and cover the leaves with the best net. Mites, like other sucking pests, are carriers of incurable viral diseases.
Spider mites can live only in conditions of high air dryness, so regular spraying and perfuming of plants reduces the risk of these pests in interior flowers. A good preventative measure against mites is to ventilate the room.
Control measures: Mite-infested plants should be removed, then sprayed with water and placed under a plastic bag for three days. Those plants that do not tolerate air humidity well should be treated with an acaricide, the solution of which should be wetted on all sides of the outer organs. Small plants can be immersed in a 50 percent solution of acaricide. With mites, Aktellik, Aktara, Klechevit, Fiteverm, Karbofos, Akarin and similar preparations cope well, but you should know that mites quickly get used to the active substance, so acaricides alternate.
Pests of houseplants: names, photos and how to fight them
Photo: mkdou19.ru
Pests of houseplants are not so common, but still no florist is immune from them. The main thing here is to notice the problem in time and fight it. And in this we are ready to help you!
1. sign
Thin visually – similar to small brownish tubercles. This is their protective shell, under which the pests hide. Size 2-4 mm. Scabies multiply quickly, spread in the plant, and gradually the flower withers, is covered with fungus and dries up.
First you need to manually remove as many parasites as possible from the plant. This is conveniently done with a cotton sponge, chopsticks and a soft toothbrush. Then rinse the flower under a hot shower, about 40-45 degrees. For spraying, a solution of grated laundry soap is suitable. And it is strongly recommended to treat vases with professional insecticide.
Photo: inSectvred.ru
2. Misconceptions
Or coccidal. They differ from ordinary shieldmoths only in the absence of a strong shell, so it is easier to fight them. And otherwise look like the same brownish outgrowth and are gradually sucked out of the shoots and leaves. Methods of control are similar – removal of the maximum number of pests, hot showers, soapy water and insecticides.
Photo: russ-blog.ru
3. Spider mite
The mite itself is almost impossible to notice, but the thin silvery network is clearly visible. Gradually the plant deteriorates, weakens, the immunity drops, and then the fungus appears. It is difficult to get rid of the mite completely, so you need to act radically.
Remove the most damaged areas and wash the plant under a warm shower with shampoo or dish detergent. Then treat with a strong infusion of chamomile, basil or pyrethrum. Dilute a few drops of tea tree oil in water for spraying. To shed the floor, it is better to take chemical preparations.
Photo: 9ban.ru
Diseases of indoor plants: names, photos and how to deal with them
4. Lice on the sprint.
In fact, this pest does not often settle at home. Although the aphids are small, they are quite easy to detect, because the colonies too densely cover areas of plants. Dark spots are left on the bite sites, and the aphids also leave behind a sticky reddish liquid.
The good news is that a normal high-pressure shower is a great way to deal with aphids. And to prevent a rather pungent odor, citrus peel or flowering geraniums. To spray the damaged plant, use a solution of laundry soap or infusion at the rate of 4 tablespoons per liter of water.
Photo: gardenersworld.com
5. The powdery mildew beetle
This is another pest of houseplants that is very easy to identify. The worms look like little white bugs, as if sprinkled with flour or starch. They hide on the back of leaf plates and leave a whitish scum. The worm provokes the development of fungus and sucks the juices out of the plant.
To combat the mealy bug, in most cases it is sufficient to remove the parasites with a cotton disc soaked in alcohol, and several times at intervals to spray the flower with an alcohol or tobacco solution. In more complicated cases, it is better to use insecticides. If the roots are affected, you need to remove the plant completely from the flower pot, rinse it thoroughly together with the roots, treat it with preparations and transplant it into a new disinfected substrate.
Photo: tsvetovodovklub.ru
Mealy bug: how to fight, the best means and methods
6. Nematodes
Nematodes are especially dangerous for flowering plants, ferns and ficuses. Roots hide in the ground, causing growths and outgrowths on the roots of the plant. Leaves and stems compensate for the outgrowths and result in deformed leaves and shoots.
The plant looks strange, develops strangely, and some areas turn pale, brown, and die. In principle, the fight against nematodes is pointless and ineffective, so we recommend getting rid of the infected flower before the parasites spread further.
Photo: 2sotki.ru
7. Thrips
Thrips look like small elongated sticks, and adults can fly. They prefer the young shoots of flowering plants because they cannot penetrate too dense shells. Yellowish dots remain in the puncture sites of the sucking parasite. Gradually you can notice the products of their life activity.
For thrips control to be useful, it is necessary to first cut off all the flowers and buds. It is useful to treat the leaves with a solution of home shampoo against fleas and mites. It is necessary to apply the foam to the ground part of the flower and wash it off after half an hour. Complex insecticides work well.
Photo: tsvetovodovklub.ru
8. Reservoir mites
Best known to orchid lovers, these pests look like common little brown mites that jump onto the stems and leaves of the plant. In fact, they are practically harmless to flowers, but they can carry the larvae of other pests, and in general it is not pleasant. To combat them, it is recommended to use special acaricides, as mites are very stubborn and adapt well to everything.
Photo: stopklopu.com
House plants: photos and names (catalog)
9. Whitefly
Externally, whiteflies resemble small moths, so they are quite easy to spot. They leave sticky trails and drink the juices from the plant. In addition, this mucus clogs the pores and prevents the buds from breathing, causing them to die fairly quickly.
White flies are stubborn, so you need to fight them systematically. First wash the plant with soapy water or special green soap. Then – treat with insecticides, and at intervals of several times. And if it doesn’t help, change different preparations. Everything is easier with prevention: ashes, incense and even trivial glue traps are enough.
Photo: agro-sales.ru
10. Sciarids
The problem with funeral mosquitoes is that they are also difficult to treat, because they breed in the ground. And the advantage is that they are rarely found on houseplants. The insects themselves look like mosquitoes and are harmless to flowers, but they lay colonies of eggs and the larvae then stick to the roots. A reliable sign of mosquitoes is groundless small black mosquitoes in the room.
It is better to completely replace the affected soil after the plant’s roots have been flushed with warm water and treated with preparations. And above all, it is important not to flood the flowers and do without organic fertilizers, such as sleeping tea or potato shells.
Photo: botanichka.ru
Flowering indoor plants: names, photos and descriptions (catalog)
11. Root mites
This is the most dangerous group of mites, because they are almost impossible to see. Most often they settle on bulbous plants, ravage the onion and lay eggs in it. Outwardly, they are tiny translucent insects that are hard to recognize without magnification. Indirect signs are lazy bulbs in suspicious areas.
It is usually pointless to fight the overgrown colony, because the roots are already affected. Therefore, it is important to avoid this situation. Always carefully inspect all bulbs before plants and soak suspicious places in special acaricides.
Photo: Grizun-off.ru
12. Soil insects.
These include hopping roosters, blowflies and hopping tails. They are small brown spiders, whitish fleas or gray worms that regularly appear on the floor or in the tray after watering. They are all completely harmless and are just an indication that the soil is rich in organic matter. More often than not, such insects get into the apartment with garden soil. Usually for control and prevention, a care and watering scheme is sufficient.
Photo: zen.yandex.ru
