On the ground of indoor plants, white insects. Small white bugs in the land of houseplants and flowers

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PESTS OF INDOOR PLANTS, PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF THEM.

Pests

How to avoid the appearance of indoor pests? Nobody is immune from this. The attack of such pests as aphids or scale insects can be considered a disaster, because they affect many plant species, while other pests are more selective and prefer certain species. If a pest or signs of its appearance are found, urgent measures should be taken:

1. Upon detection of any pest indoor plants you need to try to remove pests mechanically, wiping the leaves and stems with a sponge dipped in soapy water or alcohol.
2. It is imperative to remove all damaged buds, flowers, leaves and shoots.

3. Isolate the affected plant immediately. 4. If a pest is found on one of the plants, then all other plants should be examined immediately. If some adult pests can be seen with the naked eye if you look closely, then their numerous larvae are completely invisible. 5. Eliminate the causes, if possible, accompanying the appearance of pests. For example, dry air contributes to the appearance of spider mites - take measures to increase the humidity of the air.

It is worth remembering that all pest control chemicals are not safe for humans and animals, birds and fish. They all emit toxic substances. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to fight pests with folk remedies, i.e. herbs, alcoholic infusions, etc., as well as biological agents plant protection, you should definitely try them first.

Be aware that not all plants are equally susceptible to pest infestation. Some, for example, roses - whoever doesn't eat them - and aphids and tirps and scale insects and ticks. Moreover, if from other plants the same tick can be easily removed with the help of a soap solution, then with such susceptible plants as roses this will not help, a positive result can most often only be given by a strong remedy.

Beetle If you decide to fight with pesticides, then take precautions when working, do not abuse these agents, thoroughly ventilate the rooms after working with them. And most importantly - store chemicals out of the reach of children and animals!

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PESTS

Whitefly.

These small flying insects up to 3mm in size look like small white moths. The body is yellowish, 2 pairs of wings are covered with a white dusty coating. They usually stick to the underside of the sheet. Larvae are oblong-oval, pale green in color. Pest eggs can be found in the form of small grayish grains on the leaves. The larvae and adult insects suck the sap from the leaves and leave a sugary exudation, on which a sooty fungus develops, polluting the plants. Damaged leaves become covered with whitish spots, turn yellow and fall off. The defeat of the whitefly has a depressing effect on the plant. The most dangerous thing is that it is a carrier of viral diseases. It multiplies quickly.

Strongly damages fuchsias, pelergonia, begonias, balsams, hibiscus, jasmine and also affects other indoor plants with soft leaves, especially in summer.

Control measures:

It is difficult to fight the whitefly. You can reduce the number of adult butterflies by hanging fly sticks or other yellow sticky tape near the plants. Eggs and larvae should be washed off the leaves regularly. You can spray the underside of the leaves 3-5 times with an interval of 6-7 days with a solution of green soap (10-15 g per 1 liter of water). From herbal remedies, garlic infusion helps. If this does not help, spray the leaves every three days with an aqueous solution of nicotine sulfate (2-3 cm3 / l) or parathion (0.5-1 cm3 / l).

Grape elephant.

Beetles attack the leaves, but the real danger comes from cream-colored larvae up to 2.5 cm long, which live in the soil and eat roots, bulbs and tubers. It is difficult to deal with it - by the time signs of wilting appear, the root system of the plant is already affected. Water the soil with a systemic insecticide, the same can be advised as a preventive measure if beetles appear on the leaves of cyclamen or primrose. Caterpillars.

These are mainly garden pests that can sometimes attack indoor plants, if the plant is exposed to the garden for the summer. A sure sign of their presence is eaten holes in the leaves.

During the day, the caterpillar hides under the leaves, in the ovaries of flowers, and at night it crawls out and eats leaves and young shoots, so carefully examine all the secluded places on the flowers and take away insects.

Control measures:

Manually pick pests from plants. As a preventive measure, insecticide spraying can be done, but if the plant is outdoors, the chemicals are quickly washed off.

Weevil.

The weevil or grape elephant most often affects primroses and cyclamens. However, any plant exposed to the garden for the summer can become the subject of an attack by a weevil. Beetles eat leaves, leaving holes in them, like Colorado beetle... But the real harm is brought by the larvae, up to 2.5 cm long, cream-colored. The larvae live in the soil and devour roots, bulbs and tubers. If the pest is not found during the time, the roots will be completely eaten up and the plant will die.

Control measures:

If the root system has not yet been eaten completely, i.e. the plant has just begun to wilt, then water the soil with a systemic insecticide (fufan, inta-vir, etc.) and treat the leaves. Better to transplant the plant into fresh soil.

Drosophila.

Small dark brown midges about 2-3 ml long. They grow easily in sour foods or trash cans. By itself, this insect does not bring direct harm to the plant, but, flying from flower to flower, it can carry pests and pathogens on itself.

Pliers.

For all types of mites, dry air and high temperatures are very favorable conditions for development. They multiply very quickly, from laying eggs to the appearance of an adult, it takes 6-7 days.
Mites damage many indoor plants throughout the year, but they are especially active. in early spring... Ticks bite into the skin of the stem, damage it, leaving uneven grayish or yellowish spots. As a result of damage, the skin of the stems and leaves becomes dead and cracked. The plant develops poorly.
The mites are very small in size, so it is difficult to detect them in a timely manner. In the later stages of the lesion, a cobweb is noticeable on the plant, along which small dots move - these are ticks.

Prevention:

The simplest preventive measure is regular spraying with water. The mite does not like high humidity, although it can adapt to it.

Control measures:

Since mites are very serious pests, they have to be dealt with regularly and by all available means... After the first victory, do not rest and carefully examine the plants to see if the pest has appeared again. Even if after the first treatment it is not visible, spend another week for prevention.

1. A spider mite does not tolerate ultraviolet rays, so in nature it hides under leaves from the daytime sun. If you have an ultraviolet lamp, you can irradiate plants with it. Sessions of 1.5-2 minutes once a week greatly reduce the number of mites and increase the resistance of plants to many diseases. Try to keep the rays illuminating the lower surface of the leaves, where the mite is most often found. It is also unfavorable for the mite to carry the plant out to the balcony or garden, where, in addition to ultraviolet radiation, its natural enemies can be found. The most notable of them is a large predatory mite (not to be confused with pest mites - it is much larger and does not form cobwebs!), Which feeds on small spider mites and their larvae.

2. Try the safer methods first:

Spray the plants with water, then dust them with pyrethrum powder or ground sulfur (colloidal sulfur and sulfaride);

Among the folk remedies for fighting a tick, tobacco or garlic infusion is sometimes recommended, but these remedies are not radical, they can reduce the number of a tick, but not completely exterminate it. Therefore, use and chemical measures fight. Remember that most spider mite medications do not work. Therefore, be sure to ask for instructions on how to use this or that remedy, evaluate whether you can use it in the living room where the plants stand, and whether it will work on ticks.

3. CHEMICALS: metaldehyde, thiophos, Aktelik, Neoron, Nurell-D, Fitoverm. The latter is created on the basis of natural substances, therefore it is safer. Metaphos and phosphamide are toxic, so they are used only as a last resort. Ticks can adapt to chemicals, so it is better to use different ones, alternating them.

4. Alcohol processing. Treat the leaves with undiluted medical (96%) alcohol from a fine spray or wipe with a swab soaked in alcohol. It is a radical control agent, which, however, is more suitable for plants with dense leathery leaves (rose, monstera, palms). It is important to slightly moisten the entire surface of the leaves for a short time so that the alcohol evaporates quickly without causing a leaf burn. The method is contraindicated for pubescent plants, since evaporation from them is slower than from smooth leaves, which causes burns. For plants with a waxy coating or waxy epidermis (cacti, succulents), alcohol treatment can only be done locally in small areas. In any case, it is necessary to first check on several leaves how the plant will survive the operation. Alcohol treatment is also easy to kill mites found in crevices and cracks in a window.

Now about the ticks in more detail:

Cyclamen mite

It is impossible to see individual insects with the naked eye, the ticks are very tiny. A large clump of mites looks like a layer of dust on the underside of a leaf. It is a monophagous pest, i.e. it does not attack other plant species; it affects cyclamens, balsams, pelargoniums and gloxinia. Unlike spider mites, this pest prefers to live in humid conditions. Symptoms of plant damage are slow growth, wilting of buds, curling of leaf edges, twisting of stems.

Flat red tick.

A 0.25 mm mite of brownish-reddish color is the most dangerous pest of cacti. It also affects aucuba, citrus fruits and other plants.

Spider mite.

The spider mite is one of the most difficult to eradicate pests of indoor plants. In apartments with central heating, the mite finds favorable conditions for itself - dry air and high temperatures. At the same time, it takes only 7 days from laying eggs to an adult mite. Outbreaks of mite activity are especially frequent in early spring, but at other times of the year it affects plants, causing great harm. Spider mite

The most unpleasant thing is that most flowering indoor plants are affected. At the very beginning of propagation, yellowish, later brownish spots of small size appear on the leaves. In the later stages, a cobweb is noticeable on the plant, along which small reddish-brown dots move - this is the spider mite.

Root mites.

These include several different types of mites, which have in common that they damage the underground parts of plants. The most common root mites are Bulbous Root Mite and Bulbous Mite.

These mites harm primarily bulbous plants (gladioli, hyacinths, tulips, orchids, etc.) The mites are very small in size - The bulbous root mite is about 0.5 - 1 mm, a wide oval body of light yellow color, narrowed towards the end, and four pairs of legs. The bulb mite is slightly larger - up to 1.5 mm long, has an oval body and two pairs of legs. They gnaw the tissues of the bulb, laying eggs there in huge quantities - about 300 eggs from one female bulbous root mite.

On the initial stage lesions eaten away places and ticks are visible, gradually ticks gnaw out the entire bulb. The damaged bulb will easily fall apart in the hands or break, all internal tissues are eaten away in it, only white dust remains, and ticks are visible with the naked eye. Root mites actively reproduce and develop in a wide temperature range - from 10 to 25 ° C and even higher, when conditions change, they do not die, but fall into a state of diapause.

Prevention:

Root mites reproduce especially strongly at high air humidity. Therefore, one of the measures to prevent the appearance of root mites is to store tubers, bulbs and root crops in a cool dry room, with a humidity not higher than 60%.

Control measures:

Inspect the bulbs carefully before planting. Promotes the appearance of root mites in conditions of high soil moisture. At the same time, you do not need to water the plant less than it requires, you need to prevent stagnation of water in the roots, i.e. make good drainage and drain water from the sump. Affected plant bulbs and roots are kept or watered with a systemic insecticide solution (for example, neoron, actellic, apollo).

Centipedes.

These whitish or dark brown, caterpillar-like insects with multiple legs can harm houseplants in the garden for the summer. Centipedes eat up the roots of plants and the lower leaves, as evidenced by the eaten away places in the healthy tissues of the plant.

Control measures:

Centipedes Drying the soil surface in a pot, sprinkling the soil with dry sand, ash can be. Centipedes hide in dark and humid places, so you can find and collect pests by placing a wooden plank or a small piece of linoleum or an opaque bag on the soil near the plant. Centipedes will be taken under such a trap, from where they can be collected.

Nematodes.

Free nematodes do not attach to the roots in one place, but crawl from place to place.

Gall nematodes penetrate the roots, causing thickening on the roots with their secretions - galls, in which the worms live and reproduce. When the galls are destroyed, the eggs fall into the soil, from where the larvae spread further.

Affected plants wither and die from lack of nutrients as a result of the death of damaged roots. Heat and dampness contribute to the rapid reproduction of nematodes. They damage many types of tropical and subtropical plants.

Prevention:

Quarantine for new plants. Disinfection of dishes, tools (the simplest measure is scalding with boiling water). Sterilization of the substrate in a water bath at a temperature of + 50-55C for at least 10 minutes. You can neutralize the soil with chloropicrin, formalin or carbon disulfide.

Control measures:

There are no drastic measures to combat the nematode. Heavily infested plants are destroyed along with the soil. You can try anthelmintic drugs such as Dekaris. Dissolve 1 tablet in 1 liter of water and spill the plant well several times.

Root gall nematode

When infected with gall nematodes, the plant completely turns yellow, growth stops, the so-called dwarfism. The flowers become smaller, the shoots are bent.
Control measures for root root knot nematode:
The contaminated soil is treated with formalin or bleach.
A completely affected plant is dug up and destroyed. The soil is thrown away.

Pratilenhi, or penetrating short-bodied nematodes

The roots of plants are affected.
First, small, elongated brown spots appear on the roots of the infected plant. After two to three weeks, the infected parts die off. The plant as a whole withers and stops growing.
Measures to combat pratilenechs:
The affected parts of the roots are separated and destroyed, and the plant is transplanted into a non-contaminated potting mix. When the entire root system is damaged, the plant is completely destroyed.

Stem nematodes

The base of the stem and the upper part of the roots are affected. Serious disturbances in the development of the plant occur.
Control measures for stem nematodes: Affected plant parts are separated and destroyed. When the entire plant is infected, it is destroyed.

Leaf nematodes

They are round small earthworms. The size of the leaf nematode is 1 mm or less.
In an infected plant, light green oily spots appear on the leaves. Over time, they darken and rot. Also, damage to the kidneys and young shoots occurs. The stem dries out from above along with flower buds and upper buds. The plant dies.
Insects spread when irrigated with contaminated water or when a healthy specimen comes into contact with an infected one.
Control measures for leaf nematodes:
It is most effective to treat an infected plant with a heterophos solution. If the plant is completely infected, then it should be destroyed along with a clod of earth.
As a preventive measure, the soil should be steamed at a temperature of 100 ° C for 30 minutes. The pots are treated with a 10% formalin solution, which is washed off after 2 hours.

Legs, or suckers.

Small jumping wingless insects white, 1-2 mm in size. Appear and multiply in large numbers with frequent excess watering. They develop in the soil, feed on plant debris, small plant roots. With strong reproduction, they can appear at the bottom of the pot at the drain or on the surface of the soil in the form of a white mass. They do not cause much harm, but their appearance suggests that an urgent need to reduce watering to prevent soil acidification and root rot.

Prevention:

Moderate watering is required to prevent the appearance of podur.

Control measures:

When pests appear, you must carefully remove the topsoil by 2-3 cm and sprinkle the soil with dry sand. Spreading tobacco dust on the soil helps.

Slugs

Plants used for landscaping balconies and loggias are most often attacked: carnation, gladiolus, iris, phlox. Infection with this pest leads to the appearance of sores on the pulp of the leaf between the veins and on the petals.

Control measures for naked slugs

The ground around the plant is sprinkled with stove ash, either lime, or a mixture of them (four parts of ash and one part of lime).
The plant is pollinated with a mixture of tobacco dust and lime, taken in equal quantities.
The procedure is carried out in 1-2 hours within one day.

Sciarids.

Sciarids (fruit or mushroom gnats, black flies) are black flies with an elongated body about 3-4 mm long, which lay their whitish, translucent eggs in the roots of plants. Young, newly emerging mosquitoes can be about 1.5-2 mm light gray in color. The mosquitoes themselves, if they start, usually fly in large numbers, but do no harm, except for the diseases they carry and the larvae of other pests. And the larvae of the mushroom gnat - whitish worms about 3-6 mm long with a black head - eat the root system of plants, from which it withers, stagnates in growth, does not bloom, often reaching complete death.

Sciarids, like all flying insects, can get into a room through open vents, ventilation and just an open door. It is possible that you can bring home an infected plant from the store or bring in the larvae from purchased and not disinfected soil. But the mushroom mosquito that does not always get into the apartment means the immediate multiplication of the colony. Their reproduction is associated with excess soil moisture and the use of a substrate rich in organic matter. It has also been noticed that mushroom mosquitoes tend to appear when using water from an aquarium for irrigation, along with fish waste products. If you notice a few insects, you should check all the pots. If at first sciarids appear in pots with a waterlogged substrate, then with intensive reproduction of these insects, moderately moist soil will also suit, and then, if they are hunted, they will agree to a rather dry one.

So you need to check all the containers where there is land. Sciarids If you shake or lightly knock on the pot with a plant, and a flock of flies soar above the ground, then, most likely, there is just a clutch of eggs here. If you look closely, you can see that the flies are flying. of different ages: light gray - even translucent and larger - already black. In such a pot, it is better to replace all the soil at once. Since it has already, most likely, been processed by worms and has a rotten state, and, in addition, it is necessary to check the condition of the plant roots. If you take the plant out of the pot and scatter the soil into a tray, then whitish, translucent black-headed larvae, up to 5 mm long, can be seen in moist soil. It is much easier to spot the larvae if you water the soil in the affected pot with insecticide - they tend to crawl to the surface and you can see them writhing.

Prevention:

Proper watering of the plants, avoid unnecessary waterlogging of the soil. Careful application of organic fertilizers. For crops, use a peat-sandy substrate that does not contain humus.

Control measures:

If a flock of mushroom mosquitoes is found, then it is better to immediately take drastic measures. You need to fight sciarids in two directions - from the air and on the ground. If only flying individuals are poisoned, then new sciarids will be removed from the larvae in the soil every day. To destroy the larvae, you need to use an insecticide solution. I would like to immediately warn you that the more powerful the drug is, the more effective the fight. Decis or karbofos, Inta-vir are best suited. Do not be afraid to harm the plant, almost all manufactured drugs for pest and disease control are not phytotoxic. If "nests" or clutches of mushroom gnats were found in more than one pot and the flies fly, as they say, in flocks, then it is better to re-treat with an insecticide during the next watering. Flying insects will also have to be fought, for this it is better to use the same means that are used to fight flies,. Adult insects can be caught with fly sticks or other yellow sticky tape, using Raptor or Fumitox plates, but they are usually not very effective. ... It is better to use aerosols, such as the well-known dichlorvos and the like. The treatment of the room and pots with plants with aerosols against flying insects, as well as watering the soil with insecticides, may have to be repeated, preferably until the pests disappear completely.

Aphids.

Aphid infestation is usually fairly easy to recognize. Aphids live in large groups on the underside of leaves, around growth points, on young shoots, buds, pedicels, feeding on plant juices. They pose a danger in that they weaken the plant, reduce its resistance to diseases, and can also be carriers of viral diseases. Aphids In damaged plants, leaves curl and turn yellow, form nodules, buds do not develop or give ugly flowers.

A sticky bloom appears on mature leaves, in which the fungus can settle. Especially affected by aphids are roses, carnations, fuchsias, many aroid, forcing bulbous crops. Aphids are unpleasant, but in principle, easily eradicated pests.

Prevention:

A care that promotes the development of healthy shoots that are less susceptible to aphid attack and does not favor their rapid development. Plants that are overfed and have little fresh air form weak shoots - the soil for the rapid development of aphids. Keeping it clean, removing all dried leaves on which young insects often sit.

Control measures:

Aphids are an unpleasant, but eradicated pest. When the first insects are found, it is enough to simply crush them with your fingers and, for prophylaxis, wash all the plants with laundry soap.
When aphids are already hanging on the plant in clusters, you will have to fight it. Isolate affected plants from healthy plants by washing them with soapy water or brushing to remove most of the pests. When cleaning, it is necessary to remove all the ties, scrape off the pegs to which the plants were tied, because a lot of eggs are hidden in all the cracks and corners.
If young stems and leaves are completely covered with aphids, then it is best to cut them off completely and destroy them together with insects, especially since especially badly affected branches, no matter how thoroughly you clean them, usually dry out.
Then treat them with one of the following preparations 3-4 times at intervals of 5-6 days.
- Spraying with infusion of tobacco, wormwood, dandelion, onion, yarrow, sophora, tansy or marigolds.
- Spraying with soap and ash solution.
- Washing infected plants with a solution of green potassium soap (20 g per 1 liter of water), after covering the ground with a plastic bag.
- Treatment with pyrethrum diluted in water (2 g per 1 liter of water).
- Dusting with pyrethrum, wood ash, tobacco dust or sulfur.
- The use of chemicals based on pyrethroids: Inta-Vir, Cypermethrin, Karate, Fas, Decis, Hostaquik, etc. in accordance with the instructions. These drugs are not volatile and have low toxicity.
- Aphids are sensitive to most poisons that are used to protect plants from insects, for example, "Actellik" or "Fitoverm".
- In the most extreme case, you can use pyrimor (a very strong drug), as it is highly toxic.

Aphids get used to the chemicals used against them, so each remedy can be used 3-4 times during the spring and summer season.

Root aphid (root worm).

Symptoms of damage are cessation of growth, loss of gloss and pallor of the color of the leaves in the absence of other pests. When root aphids are damaged, plants are very susceptible to fungal diseases. With severe damage, the leaves wrinkle and the plant gradually dries up. It is very harmful to cacti and other plants during dry wintering.

Prevention:

In spring and autumn 3-4 watering with an interval of two weeks with insecticide solutions.

Control measures:

On the early stage damage to the plant can still be saved. If you suspect a root aphid attack, the plant should be removed from the pot and the roots should be examined. If a pest is found, it is necessary to rinse the roots and cut off the damaged roots. If there are many, prune the crown of the plant to compensate for the loss of roots. Destroy the earth, disinfect the pot or throw it away. Immerse the washed roots in an insecticide solution for 10 minutes, dry and plant in fresh soil.

Mealy aphid (mealybug).

The body of a wingless female is flesh-colored, elongated-oval, with outgrowths and long bristles along the edges, covered with a white powdery coating. The winged insect has one pair of wings. Female scale insects lay up to 2000 eggs in white, cotton-like fluffy secretions on the underside and in the axils of the leaves, along the veins. They can secrete a sticky liquid on which soot fungus develops.

Eggs protected by down are not afraid of water. mealybug The larvae spread around the plant, can settle at the root collar and even on the roots. Insects remain mobile throughout their lives. Damaged plants are covered with white spiderweb bloom. Sucking the juices of young shoots, leaves, buds, the worms greatly retard the growth of plants. Amaryllis, azaleas, asparagus, begonias, geraniums, dracaena, cacti, lemons, palms, ferns, fuchsias and some other plants are affected.

Prevention:

Keeping plants clean, removing all dried leaves. Plants that regularly wash their leaves are very rarely affected by the worm.

Control measures:

1. If the number of worms is still small, wash it off the leaves and stems with a soft cotton swab dipped in soapy water. Then carry out three spraying with an interval of 7-10 days with a solution of green soap (10-15 g per 1 liter of water), tobacco infusion, garlic infusion or cyclamen broth. A good effect is given by alcohol treatment (see "ticks") or treatment with a pharmacy tincture of calendula.

2. CHEMICAL METHODS. In case of severe damage, in addition to destruction by hand, spray at intervals of 7 days with one of the following preparations: thiophos, "Aktelik", "Vertimek", "Nurell-D", "Fozalon", "Fitoverm", "phosphamide" , "metaphos" (highly toxic).

Thrips.

Greenhouse thrips or vesicle. The insect is 1-2.5 mm in size. The body is oblong, black or dark brown with two pairs of wings with ciliated hairs. The larvae are at first white, and when the wings are shown, they are light yellow, on the back of the body they have a transparent bubble. Externally, the mobile larvae are similar to adult insects. Full development of insects occurs in 25-30 days.

Thrips are kept in groups on the underside of the leaves, especially along the veins. Lays eggs in leaf tissue. Thrips fly or crawl from leaf to leaf, leaving characteristic silvery streaks. On the damaged leaves, brown-brown spots appear on the lower side, and whitish spots on the upper side. With a strong infection, the leaves turn yellow, dry up and fall off. Thrips do the main harm to flowers, which become stained and deformed. The greatest harm applies in summer, in hot weather. Thrips damages palms, dracaena, fuchsia, cordilins, aspidistra, azaleas, cacti, ficuses, roses, begonias, citrus fruits and many other indoor plants.

Prevention: In the summer, you should often spray your plants with water to prevent dry air.

Control measures:

1 To remove the pest, wash the leaf surface with warm water and laundry soap. This event greatly reduces the number of insects, although it does not completely destroy them.

2. Next, one of the following means is applied.
Herbal preparations:
- double spraying of plants after 7-10 days with pyrethrum diluted in water (2 g per 1 l of water),
- spraying with infusion of yarrow and tobacco,
- spraying with infusion of Persian chamomile and green soap,
- spraying with a decoction of cyclamen tubers.

Chemicals:
- after spraying the plants with water, dust them with pyrethrum powder or ground sulfur (colloidal sulfur, sulfaride), DDT dust,
- spraying three times with the following mixture: 2 g of nicotine sulfate or anabazine sulfate and 4 g of soap per 1 liter of water, then dust with pyrethrum,
- thiophos at a concentration of 0.1-0.2%,
- "Vertimek", "Nurell-D" (slightly toxic),
- phosphamide (moderately toxic),
- metaphos (highly toxic).

Earwig.

Another name is tick. A well-known garden and domestic pest of the order of leathery-winged animals with a dark brown body and two tick-like appendages. She is called an earwig because of the belief that she crawls into the ears of sleeping people. This insect is difficult to find on indoor plants, because it hides during the day, and leaves and petals fall at night, so that holes form on the leaves, until the leaf tissue disappears completely.

Control measures:

Insects are caught by hand, looking under the leaves and shaking off the flowers, or using thinly rolled tubes of strong paper, hollowed out sticks, etc., which are placed on pots. The mite hides in such shelters in the morning and can be destroyed.

Earthworms.

It would seem that earthworms do not belong to pests of indoor plants, some even believe that they are useful because they loosen the earth. However, this is not the case, earthworms can feed not only on organic residues in the soil, but also eat up the roots of plants. Usually the plant becomes lethargic and stunted.

Control measures:

Earthworms can be collected in so-called traps, just like centipedes. You can well water the soil in a pot with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Shields and false shields.

Ivy scale - a body separated from the scutellum, ovoid, yellow color, scutellum grayish-white, about 3mm, round.
Oleander scale - the body is pale yellow, the scutellum is flat, rounded, at first it is whitish, then yellow and grows simultaneously with the insect until it reaches a diameter of 2.5 mm. The male is brown-yellow, covered with a thin white bloom.
The pink scaled male is pale red topped. The female is ovoid, flat, yellow, with a round, flat, convex shield only in the middle.
The cactus scale is an orange male. The female is pale yellow, the scutellum is round, yellow, about 2 mm.
The bay scale is a pale cherry male. The female is white or pale cherry, with a rounded brown shell-shaped shield with a red-yellow elevation in front and concentric rings and ledges.
Palm scale male is pale yellow. The larva is linear, white-fluffy. The female is pale yellow, with a round, flat, white shield, no more than 2.5 mm.

Soft false scutellum - body broadly oval, asymmetric, brownish-brown in color, with indistinct punctures on the back. Scabies Most species of scale insects reproduce by laying eggs, but there are also viviparous species. Pests keep on the lower and upper sides of leaves, shoots and plant trunks. Only young larvae settle, adhering to various parts of the plant, adult insects are immobile. With a strong infection, the leaves along the veins and the trunks of plants are covered with a kind of bloom, formed from a large accumulation of scale insects. In damaged plants, growth and development are delayed, the leaves turn yellow and fall off prematurely. Shields and false shields secrete a sticky liquid - a pad, on which a sooty fungus settles, which further impairs the development of plants. Scabbards and false scutes damage many indoor plants: asparagus, aucuba, palms, citrus fruits, oleander, ivy, cyperus and others.

Prevention:

Regular inspection of plant stems and leaves, especially from below.

Control measures:

It is easiest to destroy these sedentary insects at the very beginning of their appearance. Inspect the plant leaves regularly, especially from the bottom. If the scale insect has so far settled on one leaf or twig, which you can donate, then it is better to remove it together with the damaged organ. In case of more severe damage to pests, it is necessary to remove from the plant with a soft brush or cotton swab moistened with soapy water or anabasine sulfate solution, or even better with alcohol (for alcohol treatment, see the article "Mites"). The remnants of the shields and dust must be washed off with a brush or swab with a weak solution of vinegar. In addition to adult insects, larvae invisible to the naked eye will most likely remain on the surface of the leaves.To destroy them, you can apply three times (within 2 weeks) spraying with a solution of green potassium soap (20-30 g per 1 l of water) or spraying with an infusion of garlic, treatment with insecticidal preparations is possible. There are no specialized chemical insecticides to combat the scabbard, so choose an insecticide with the broadest spectrum of action.

Enkhitrei.

These insects, which look like small white worms, can be seen when the plant is removed from the pot. They eat up the roots, so the affected plant begins to lag behind in growth, the leaves turn yellow, the plant withers and eventually dies. Promotes the appearance of enkhitrey high humidity soil.

Control measures:

If these pests are found, you need to rinse the roots from the old soil and plant the plant in fresh soil. If the plant cannot be transplanted for any reason, then you need to water the soil with an insecticide solution.

Pests of indoor plants photos and how to deal with them

Houseplant pests reduce decorativeness and destroy pets. Some of their species are quite aggressive: they gnaw at the roots, feed on the stems, and suck out the juice of the leaves. Other insects undermine the roots, leave plaque and simply spoil the appearance of flowers. In any case, indoor pests must be dealt with. The most effective measures control and prevention are compliance with growing conditions and proper care of flowers.

Types of pests of indoor plants

Among the types of pests of indoor plants, those who live in the soil, and those who settle on the plants themselves, are distinguished. Soil worms and insects harm the roots, gnaw the stems and leaves. Pests on the plants themselves damage the leaves by eating them and sucking out the sap. Depending on where the pest is located, methods of control and prevention are selected.

Prevention of pests of indoor plants

First of all, you need to try to avoid the appearance of pests in the soil and on the houseplants themselves. Therefore, to combat indoor pests, be sure to use timely preventive measures:

• regular inspection,
• compliance with the regime of watering and lighting,
• timely transplant into high-quality soil,
• fresh air access,
• avoidance of overcrowding of plants.

These simple rules help to avoid the appearance of pests of indoor plants.

Prevention of indoor pests begins with the purchase of flowers. Buy only healthy plants, be sure to quarantine the new plant, no matter how healthy it seems. Remember that at first the pests may not be visible, and when they get into the home, they can begin to multiply.
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Pests in the soil of indoor plants

The reasons for the appearance and dispersal of soil pests of indoor plants are the use of untreated soils and overflow of flowers.

For the prevention of indoor pests in the ground, it is recommended:

• use soil of proven quality in home floriculture,
• carry out heat or chemical treatment of the soil mixture when it is prepared on its own,
• observe the watering regime.

Podura in houseplants

Very small white insects jumping on the soil surface. They do not bring any particular harm to plants. But with an increase in the population, they pass into the stage of active reproduction, and then they become a problem.

Measures to combat podura:

1. reduce watering,
2. change the soil to less moisture-consuming,
3. apply bottom watering,
4. from chemicals: "Grom-2", "Bazudin".

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Nematoda in indoor plants

Roundworms that live in the roots of plants, leaves and stems. It's hard to fight.

• With a root nematode, the root endings acquire a swollen appearance, and yellow galls are formed.
• The roots cease to feed the plant, and it dies.

The process is slow and long, and the plant can maintain a healthy appearance, and then dies abruptly.

Nematode control measures:

1. Isolate the affected plant from others and destroy along with the soil.
2. You can shed the soil with special means "Nemaphos", "Nematofagin".
3. Carry out thermal treatment of the soil.

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Earthworm in indoor plants

Can get into indoor plants along with untreated soil.

• Damages roots, which can kill the plant.
• There is positive point- recycles the soil, improves its organic properties.
• But in small space In a potted pot, the earthworm begins to undermine the roots of the plant.

Control measures:

1. Watering hot water with a weak pale pink solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Manual picking at transfer.

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Earwig in indoor plants

The most unpleasant guest settling in houseplants.

• Usually it gets caught in outdoor conditions.
• It feeds on all parts of plants.

Earwig control measures:

1. baits with drugs,
2. processing with "Fosbecid", "Karbofos", "Antizhuk", "Raptor" according to the instructions.

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Centipede in indoor plants

It has an unpleasant appearance, a thin long body and many legs.

• Damage to roots, interfere with root growth.
• They also feed on soil flies.

Centipede control measures:

1. drying the soil,
2. manual collection,
3. using baits,
4. soil treatment with preparations "Bazudin", "Grom-2", "Zemlin",
5. spilling soil with solutions "Intavir", "Actellik" according to the instructions with mandatory repetition.

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Soil flies in houseplants

Soil (flower) flies, mushroom mosquitoes, sciarids are small flying insects that live in the upper soil layer of a houseplant.

• Spread infection among plants, love moisture.
• The larvae eat up organic residues of the soil; if there is a lack of food, they can eat up the roots and stems of plants.

Soil fly control measures:

• replace upper part soil,
• sprinkle with sand
• forget about watering from above for 2 weeks,
• pour into the pallet.
• From chemical preparations, the preparation "Thunder-2" can be added to the soil.

During this time, midge larvae will dry out and will no longer appear. In the future, avoid excessive watering.

Pests on indoor plants

Of the indoor pests that live on the plants themselves and infect leaves and stems, the most common and dangerous are various types of aphids, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies and mealybugs. The most effective measures for controlling and preventing harmful insects will be regular spraying, washing, warm showers, and spatial isolation.

A regular warm shower is especially beneficial for plants such as:

• aroid,
• orchid,
• ficuses,
• kutrovye,
• arrowroot crotons,
• dracaena,
• ferns,
• palm trees.

Spider mite on indoor plants

A common pest of indoor plants. Lives on leaves (their reverse side), usually goes unnoticed for a long time.

• It multiplies rapidly under dry air and high temperatures.
• The leaves are covered with a cobweb and become, as it were, punctured, specks appear.
• A severely neglected plant has a gray color, the leaves fall off and the plant gradually withers and dies.

Measures to combat spider mites and aphids in indoor conditions are the same (see below). The main thing is to create conditions uncomfortable for the tick:

1. high humidity
2. spray the underside of the leaf,
3. observe the spatial isolation of plants.

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Aphids on indoor plants

Slow crawling insects of green and gray color.

• They feed on leaf juices, so they curl and dry out.
• Aphids live in colonies and constantly multiply.
• They spread a viral disease, the leaves mutate and lose their original color.

Aphids are especially fond of:

• indoor roses,
• chrysanthemums,
• fuchsia,
• arrowroot,
• ficuses,
• palm,
• crotons and other plant species.

Control measures for aphids (and with spider mites):

1. create a humid atmosphere,
2. periodically arrange a warm shower with the obligatory washing of the underside of the leaves,
3. regularly use tablets in the Iskra Zolotaya soil throughout the year.
4. You can use "Fufanon", "Oberon", "Omayt", "Sunmight" with obligatory reprocessing according to the scheme according to the instructions.

If you observe preventive measures, then the risk of aphids and spider mites is reduced.

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Thrips on indoor plants

The most dangerous type of pest of indoor plants.

• They develop very quickly and are difficult to remove.
• On the underside of the leaf, pitted, silvery passages, sticky dark discharge and blotches appear.

Thrips control measures:

1. A warm shower and regular spraying will help,
2. Rubbing the sheets with a weak solution of vinegar or citric acid,
3. Treatment and watering with "Intavir-M"
4. With a strong multiplication of thrips, a complete replacement of the soil is required

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Shields and false shields on indoor plants

They are leathery growths ranging in size from 1 to 7 mm brown.

• They settle on the leaves and stems of plants.
• In places of damage, the leaves turn yellow, the plant dies due to a constant lack of nutrition.

Measures to combat scale insects:

1. An effective control measure is the use of insecticides
2. With a strong pest spread, a complete soil replacement may be required.
3. For prevention, quarantine of new plants, regular spraying and a monthly warm shower are required.

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Mealybugs on houseplants

Insects are white, covered with a powdery waxy coating.

• They live on the underside of leaves, on stems.
• When they multiply, white cotton-like eggs are found in the leaf axils.
• They spread a sooty fungus that strongly poisons plants.

Shields, scale insect easily removed when using insecticidal preparations "Iskra Zolotaya", "Fitoverm".
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Whitefly on indoor plants

The most dangerous pest of indoor plants. A small insect from 2 mm in length, yellowish and with two pairs of white wings. It reproduces actively all year round.

Affects almost all plants, but is especially susceptible to

• fuchsia,
• royal pelargoniums,
• abutilones.

The fight against whitefly is extremely difficult and you cannot do without the use of chemicals.

Control measures:

1. at the initial stage, you can catch them with yellow sticky traps.
2. "Aktara", "Confidor", "Fitoverm", "Aktellik", "Mospilan" have proven themselves well.

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Caterpillars, slugs on houseplants

Mostly garden ones - they come from street plants and soil. Leaves and flowers are eaten.
The fight against them is carried out with the help of manual collection, dusting with ash, and traps with adhesive tape are placed.

Folk remedies against pests of indoor plants

1. Spillage of soil with a faint pale pink potassium permanganate solution.
2. Leaves dandelion chop 50 g together with roots, pour 1 liter of water and insist during the day, strain and spray at whitefly.
3. Leaves and flowers celandine, yarrow, marigold sowing. Infusions and decoctions help in the form of spraying on the leaf when aphids, spider mite.
4. Spraying with garlic infusion over the leaf. Grind 50-100 g garlic, insist for 3 days, dilute with 0.5-1.0 liters of water.
5. Leaf processing soapy water using laundry soap and any means for washing dishes like "Fairy", shampoo for animals. Allow to dry, then rinse with warm water;
6. Dilute colloidal sulfur 5 g per liter of water, spray over the foliage. Helps with spider mite, mealybug, shield and powdery mildew. Carry out processing with caution, be sure to wear a protective mask and gloves, and only on fresh air and in calm weather;
7. Dusting with a smoker tobacco, ash, cinnamon.

Many amateurs ornamental plants may notice small black dots on the underside of the leaf. And only a few people know that these are thrips on indoor plants - small pests that become especially aggressive in spring and summer, which cause great harm to the culture. Pests suck the juice from flowers and leaves, and also carry viral diseases. As a result of their effect, the flowers fall off, the leaves dry out, and the secretions of their vital activity appear, on which a sooty fungus can settle.

1. What is flower thrips
2. Signs of damage to flowers with thrips
3. Methods for detecting and preventing thrips
4. Thrips control methods

Most often it goes dracaena, varieties of palms, ficuses, citrus fruits, roses, monstera and laurel. Lesions in the form of black dots are not the only manifestation of the disease, they are also observed viral infections moving to the adjacent healthy flowers.

Flower thrips refers to diptera insects, the length of which is from 0.5 to 5 mm. Young pests are colored green, yellow and pale yellow, adults are found in black, sandy and brown shades. Thus, insects manage to disguise themselves, so they are difficult to detect. The larvae are too small, lay eggs, have a gray or light shade.

There are many types of this pest. So, one of the most dangerous for ornamental crops is the Western California flower thrips, which is an individual up to two millimeters long, located in buds, inflorescences, and on leaves. The pest loves to settle on such indoor plants as roses, gerberas, chrysanthemums, cyclamens, etc. Considering the location of thrips on indoor plants, their treatment is difficult, since most of the population is inaccessible to chemical exposure.

Signs of damage to flowers with thrips

Typical signs of plant damage by pests are:

• the presence of yellow spots on the surface of the sheets at the beginning of infection;
• the appearance at further stages of the development of the disease of silvery dotted streams (not necessary for all types of insects);
• on the lower part of the leaf, an accumulation of yellow and brown spots, as well as black dots, is possible;
• over time, there is a merger of spots and lines;
• holes may appear at the site of the lesions, the leaves wither, fall off;
• when the buds are infected with western flower thrips, the deformation of the inflorescences is determined. So, in roses, the flowers remain closed.

Pronounced viral symptoms of crop disease are:

• roundish yellowish or brownish spots on the leaves;
• the stem is covered with a bloom of black or brown;
• there is a lesion of the bases of the leaves in the form of necrosis.

From the beginning of the infection process to the appearance of signs of activity of the California colored triplex, 1-2 weeks pass, during which a new generation is already formed.

Methods for detecting and preventing thrips

For early definition and finding insects, it is recommended to regularly inspect the flowers and leaves of crops, especially from the underside. On visual inspection, it should be borne in mind that, for example, the Western California flower thrips likes to be placed in the most illuminated areas, to gather on flowers and upper leaves. Blue and yellow sticky traps will help you identify thrips on indoor plants.

Preventive care of pets means cleaning them from dust, spraying, you need to make sure that there is no severe dryness of the air, that is, maintain sufficient humidity in the room.

Excessive nitrogen fertilization contributes to the development of flower thrips. An insect can get into an apartment with bouquets brought from the street. It is quite difficult to eliminate the pest from the buds and flowers, since it is necessary to shake them off and hit the table with white paper placed on it, on which insects will remain.

Thrips control methods

It is rather difficult to get rid of thrips on indoor plants, therefore, at the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to isolate the culture, cleanse it of infected elements (leaves, flowers).

In the initial stages of infection, you can wipe the plant with a solution of laundry soap using a soft sponge. Such a measure will not remove the pest, but only reduce its population. It is recommended to leave the flower in the soap under the plastic bag for a while.

Treatment with water with a few drops of machine oil, kerosene or foliage polishing agent is effective. However, it should be remembered here that such agents harm the plant, so that their use on crops with thin and delicate leaves is excluded. Leathery leaves can be rubbed 3-4 times with alcohol.

In the case of severe pest infestations of flowers, one cannot do without treating thrips on indoor plants with the help of chemicals. A number of such funds are quite large: Fitoverm, Mospilan, Aktara (as a sprayer or pouring under the root), Confidor, Intavir, Dantop, Apache, etc. Specialized stores can offer funds under different names. A drug such as Spintor, an insecticide of natural origin, has proven itself quite effectively.

The most important thing when buying chemicals is to carefully study the instructions for use for them, and before processing, wash the plant with water. Chemical treatment will have to be carried out more than once, but in several stages. In the period between manipulations, peduncles must be removed.

If, after treating the culture from the western flower thrips with an insecticide, the pest returned again, then there is no need to despair. Another remedy is worth trying. After all, the effect of drugs is different, perhaps another drug will be found to be more reliable and effective.

With a mild defeat by flower thrips, you can try folk methods of protection. For example, mix 85 gr. garlic, passed through a garlic press, 50 ml. mineral or vegetable oil with 10 ml. laundry soap and 950 ml. water. The mixture should be infused throughout the day. Before use, you need to dilute the solution in a ratio of 1 to 19 with water, that is, by 950 grams. take 50 ml of water. mixtures. Spray the plant with the resulting substance.

Spider mites

The most common pest of indoor flowers. Characteristic signs damage: punctures are visible in the lumen of the leaf, whitish or yellowish. Gradually, they merge into spots. The leaves turn pale, acquire a grayish tint. Then the leaves dry out, completely lose their color. This is a typical picture, but in some cases the leaves turn red or bronze. In some plants, the leaves do not change shape even when the spots are large, in other cases they are strongly deformed, curled.

Photo of a spider mite - pest close-up

Here are collected photos of spider mites for quick identification of the pest on indoor plants. How to tell who is eating your flowers and how to deal with a pest.

Leaves turn yellow, cobwebs appear on the flowers, dots appear on the leaves, as if punctured by a needle, the flowers do not grow, the tops of the shoots wither - these are signs of a spider mite. Tips from experienced florists how to deal with ticks with folk remedies or with the help of chemistry.

Carapace mites

A parcel with orchids arrived, and there black bugs, similar to ticks, are running briskly. Who is this?

Armored mites or oribatids are soil arthropods. By 2015, more than 7000 species of armored mites have been described. Who are they - pests or useful animals? Do I need to destroy them, by what means to fight. What to do if shell mites have settled in orchid pots.

What do shell mites look like, how to distinguish them from herbivorous mites: spider mites, flat beetles and wide mites.

Thrips on indoor flowers are not uncommon, they get into our house from the street, with garden flowers, with purchased indoor plants and with cut flowers (from bouquets). They spread very quickly on domestic plants, suck out juices from them, pollute the leaves with skins and excrement. Thrips is dangerous in that it has several stages of development, some of which are secretive - the females lay eggs directly in the leaf tissue, and the nymphs hide in the ground. In addition, eggs and nymphs have covers that protect them from the action of contact insecticides. Therefore, the fight against thrips takes place in several stages.

Photo of thrips - pest close-up

Silvery spots appeared on the leaves, discolored areas, shoots dry and deformed, the plant does not bloom, the leaves turn yellow, small black drops or crumbs appear on the surface of the leaves - these are signs of thrips. Look at the photos of the pest and compare with your plant.

You may find tips for dealing with thrips useful.

From the point of view of indoor floriculture, the danger of scale insects is that due to parthenogenesis - the hatching of females without fertilization, scale insects can reproduce, all year round, giving out about 5-6 generations, the process of generational change goes on continuously. At the same time, males among indoor scale insects are extremely rare, but if they appear, for some reason they are very frightening. Someone begins to think that this is an unknown, terribly gluttonous creature. In fact, the developmental cycle of scale insects, with or without males, is no different. By themselves, males do not harm plants - they simply have nothing to eat. In fact, male scale insects hatch for the sole mission of fertilization, therefore, all they have are eyes, wings and genitals.

Photo of scale insects - pest close-up

What does the scale and false scale look like - brown spots on the stems, petioles, leaves, translucent or with a dense brown shield, flat or convex. The smallest ones are almost invisible, but if you knock it off, press with a needle, a wet trail remains. And how the leaves of various plants, affected by the scabbard, look like, look at the photographs of various plants.

Tips from experienced florists on how to cure the scabbard with folk remedies and with the help of drugs.

Mealybug

The bristlybug or mealybug is a small insect that lives on plants. Its body is covered with a white waxy bloom, which makes the accumulations of pests look like cotton balls.

Worms cause serious damage to indoor plants, and it is quite difficult to remove them at home. What to look for: if the leaves turn yellow and fall off, the shoots are stunted, small white spots are visible on the stems or under the leaves. Worms are taken under the bark of indoor fruit exotics, under the scales of bulbs in hippeastrum and other bulbous, they hide in the fluffy hairs on the stems of begonias. Sooty fungi can settle on the secretions of worms.

Photo of mealybug - pest close-up

This pest is not always immediately noticeable: the worms can for a long time hide in the root zone, near the surface of the earth, in the axils of the leaves.

And only when the colony of worms grows numerous and voracious, the pests will be noticeable on the leaves. But by this time, as a rule, the plant withers, irretrievably turns yellow and dies.

Whitefly

Whitefly is a pest of indoor and garden plants, all species easily reproduce in an apartment, some species quietly winter in mid-latitudes and from spring they breed under our windows. The whitefly is especially fond of celandine, which grows under our windows, and spoils any vegetables, especially cabbage, and berries in the gardens.

How to identify a pest - a photo of a whitefly, whitefly control measures.

At home, aphids can be harmful all year round. They multiply rather quickly, forming colonies that cover an ever larger territory. But unlike ticks, aphids are large pests, they are easy to see with the naked eye. Aphids focus on the most delicate parts of the plant - tops of shoots, buds, flowers. For many plants, it is easiest to cut off the affected shoots and tear off the peduncles. For plants that form a rosette, wash the leaves with a sponge and green soap, and clean the leaf sinuses cotton swab dipped in alcohol.

If the aphid is very much roaming on indoor flowers, spray the plants with any insecticide. You will be helped by: Aktara, Confidor, Tanrek, Fitoverm, Inta-Vir, Iskra, Iskra-Bao, Deciss and other drugs.

In gardens, green potash soap is also an irreplaceable assistant - it does not smell and is not poisonous to people. Potash soap should be diluted at the rate of 20 g of liquid green soap per 1 liter of water. Especially carefully spray secluded places - tops of shoots, leaf axils, apply a foamy cap to the buds. Do not wash off the soap solution!

Read about how to deal with aphids in the garden: How to destroy aphids

Nematode

The nematode is of various types, the root usually forms spherical growths or swellings. Stem or leaf nematodes do not form bulges, but cause severe deformation of leaves, stems, and buds. The flowers, as a rule, do not even open. Begonia, gloxinia, ficus, ferns suffer greatly from the nematode. Their leaves wrinkle, shrink, as it were, turn brown between the veins, the young grow immediately twisted, ugly.

Some types of nematodes also form galls on flowers, often the defeat of the nematode is accompanied by symptoms of bacterial infections.

Mushroom gnats

Sciarids or mushroom gnats - small annoying midges start in flowers, fly all over the apartment. By themselves, they do not harm, the flowers do not eat up, but mosquitoes are a sure sign that the plants are systematically flooded. It is necessary to check the ground in pots with flowers, because if waterlogging is not eliminated, the roots of plants can rot.

If the mosquitoes manage to lay eggs in the soil, larvae hatch from them, feeding on rotting organic matter, which can partially damage the roots of plants.

Miner flies

The larvae of these flies gnaw out the core of the leaves, leaving discolored patterns on them - mines. Disfigure the leaves of trees, shrubs, including conifers, and herbaceous plants, in room conditions, violets (Saintpaulia), succulents (milkweed, stonecrop), hibiscus syngonium and other plants can infect ...

Root mites

Root and onion mites feed on the underground part of plants - they gnaw out bulbs, feed on juicy roots. They are found at the stage when the plant has already suffered greatly - growth is inhibited, the leaves turn yellow, buds and flowers do not form, sometimes there is a one-sided drying of the crown - in separate branches, but more often in the plant common features fasting - chlorosis. Often, an infection gets into the wounds on the roots and bulbs, and the plant becomes ill with fusarium.

High moisture content of the soil promotes more rapid reproduction of root mites. Very often, affected indoor plants, especially small and delicate ones, die. Better prevention- soil disinfection and quarantine of all purchased plants.

Accidental pests: wood lice, weevil, enchitrea, caterpillars

There are such pests that appear quite rarely in pots with flowers - these are enchitrea, wood lice, earthworms can be brought in with the soil for planting plants, weevils or wood lice can get into the house from the garden soil. If you have someone crawling in a pot, take a look here, you might recognize a pest ...

Many of them are not as dangerous as they seem, and sometimes they are not at all dangerous, for example, puffs or enchitrea can eat up decaying plant roots, but by themselves they are not the cause of the death of indoor flowers. Plants die from overflow and putrefactive infections.

Puffins, springtails, collembolans

In pots with indoor plants, some white little fleas are jumping. Gray worms float in the pan after watering. Small brown spiders crawl near the roots. All these are soil dwellers - collembolans, springtails and suckers. Innocuous, in essence, the inhabitants of the soil rich in humus and organic matter. They come to our house with soil from the garden or with storey soil. But as long as the soil moisture is moderate, bugs are not visible. When the soil inside the pot does not dry out for many days, the roots of plants begin to rot, and podura reproduce in large numbers.

Puffiness is a sign of a violation of indoor plant care, systematic waterlogging, frequent watering, or improperly selected soil (too moisture-absorbing, heavy, non-porous).

No one can avoid the appearance of indoor pests: neither a novice florist, nor an experienced one. Some, scale insects or aphids, infect many types of indoor plants, others are more selective and prefer certain species and under certain conditions. For example, ticks rarely harm Benjamin's ficus, but the scale insect eats it with pleasure.

If pests are found, you must first get rid of them mechanically, wiping the leaves and stems with a sponge dipped in soapy water. It is imperative to remove damaged buds, flowers, leaves and shoots, if the leaves begin to turn yellow or become stained, they will no longer recover. If the pest is seen only on one plant, it is better to isolate the flower pot, observe the rest.

Try not to use insecticides, especially 2 classes of toxicity, without urgent need. All pest control chemicals are unsafe for humans and animals (birds and fish). All of them, in one way or another, emit toxic substances. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to fight pests with folk remedies, i.e. herbs onion peel, as well as biological plant protection products, you must definitely try them first.

Currently, the use of pesticides (plant protection products from diseases and pests) is approached quite carefully, but for now we can see a warning on the packaging with chemicals about precautions, and they may not be completely safe.

Folk remedies for pests of indoor plants

• Yarrow - 80 g of dry crushed leaves, pour 1 liter of boiling water and insist for 36-48 hours, spray against aphids, thrips, ticks.
• Tobacco, makhorka - insist 40 g in 1 liter of water for two days, strain and dilute with 1 liter of water, spray against aphids and thrips.
• Onions - insist 15 g of chopped onions in 1 liter of water for 5-7 hours in a tightly sealed container, spray against aphids and ticks.
• Celandine during flowering - infuse 300-400 g of fresh or 100 g of dry celandine in 1 liter of water for 24-36 hours, spray against false shields, aphids, thrips.
• Kerosene -2 g per 10 l of water + 40 g of laundry soap - against thrips and mites.
• Dandelion medicinal - 300-500 g of chopped roots or fresh leaves insist 2 hours in 10 liters of warm water, filter and spray against thrips and ticks.
• Marigold flowers - a glass of dried flowers is poured with 1 liter of warm water, insisted for 2 days, filtered and sprayed against the affected plants against thrips.
• Alder leaves - a glass of dry alder leaves is poured with one liter of boiling water, insisted for 24 hours. Then it is heated to 50 ° C, and kept in this infusion before planting the bulbs and tubers for 5 minutes. Thus, prophylaxis of root mites is carried out.
• Wood ash - 1 glass of ash is infused in 5 liters of water, then a fourth of a piece of grated laundry soap is added there, spray against mites and thrips.

Are your flowers sick even though you meet all the conditions? In this case, it is worth suspecting a pest! At home, which is often far from natural, flowers are more vulnerable. Online diagnostics will help you to recognize ticks, aphids, scale insects, etc. Pests of indoor flowers: photos, signs and methods of dealing with them.

Spider mite

The most common and insidious pest! Spider mites on indoor plants feel great, especially in winter and early spring. Heating, dry air and high temperatures create favorable conditions for its reproduction. Considering that this flower beetle is very prolific, it can easily migrate to other "neighbors"!

The tick is arachnid and can look different. The most common species are the common spider mite, red and cyclamen.

Signs

Regardless of the type of mite, the results of its activity cause the death of the leaf! Harmful insect feeds on flower sap, sucking it out of leaves and young shoots. This is immediately reflected in the appearance of flowers: they lose their brightness, juiciness, fade. On some plants, yellow spots appear, which gradually lead to yellowing of the foliage, on others, the leaves dry from the edges and are deformed. Often, a tick can leave a cobweb behind it, which is visible in the gap between branches and leaves. And sometimes you can see the pests themselves! So, the common white tick is visible with the naked eye on the inside at the base of the leaf. The cyclamen mite prefers fluffy plants, and the red mite even settles on the petals of flowering plants.

Risk group
The common tick mainly affects decorative deciduous species: hibiscus, Benjamin's ficus, fuchsia, citrus fruits, dracaena, tradescantia, adenium, ivy. Although it is harmful to all indoor flowers, succulents are less susceptible to its effects.

The cyclamen mite prefers plants with fluffy leaves - cyclamens, violets, gloxinia. The red mite can settle on any plant, but its favorite delicacy is flowering species- roses, balsams, callas, orchids, and also citrus fruits.

Treatment and prevention

Most mites cannot tolerate high air humidity, so regular spraying (not only on the top, but also on the bottom of the leaf) and a warm shower is the best prevention. If pests are already present on the plant, you can wash the leaves with a solution of laundry soap. In summer, if possible, take flowers out into the garden or on the balcony! Spraying with green soap solution can help at first!

If the tick has managed to spread strongly and damage the leaves, you will have to resort to the help of acaricides - chemicals to combat ticks. These include "Akarin", "Agrovertin", "Inta-vir", "Vertimek". "Neoron" destroys not only the tick, but also its larvae, and "Fitoverm" is the safest for the microflora of the plant. To prevent the tick from returning, you need to correct mistakes in care!

Shield and false shield

Insects from the family of worms, the body of which is covered with a shield. This feature not only determined the name of the pest, but also made it invulnerable to spraying with chemicals. But unlike the previous representative, the scabbard does not move, on the contrary, having adhered to the plant, it remains motionless. Therefore, it is easy to find it!

The scale insects are sucking insects, they, like leeches, suck out the sap of the plant, while releasing a sticky liquid that clogs the pores, making it difficult for the flower to breathe. The false shield is a close relative of the scale insect, surpassing it in size. By the way, this malicious family has many varieties: they are round, oval, white, brown, brown from 2 to 7 mm in size.

Signs

Affected flowers lag behind in growth and development, shedding leaves and buds. Scabbard on indoor plants in literally the word "sticks to" the branches and even the main trunk, and it can also hide in the axils of the leaves. Outwardly, these pests look like beads of wax, or growths! Small scale insects form clusters resembling plaque along the stems and leaf veins. As a result, leaves and even branches may die off, previously covered with red-brown or yellow spots. Scabbards are especially dangerous for young shoots!

Risk group
The location of the scabbard is often chosen deciduous plants(especially ferns, asparagus, ivy, lemons, begonias), but can also appear on succulents (ficuses, zamiokulkas), and orchids are not rare.

Treatment and prevention

The provoking factors for the reproduction of scale insects are dry air and a lack of light, characteristic of winter period... They can also enter the apartment from the street! Weakened, diseased plants, in which metabolic processes are disturbed for one reason or another, are a real bait for scale insects. Healthy flowers with strong immunity are immune to these pests!

First of all, you need to remove dead parts, as well as remove all visible scabbards. This can be done with a warm shower, a soft sponge (or soft brush), and laundry soap. The alternative would be impregnated lemon juice, or a cotton swab with vinegar solution. Alcohol can burn an already damaged plant, and oil will clog pores!

At this stage, you can get rid of older individuals that are not affected by insecticidal spraying. To destroy not visible to the eye scale insects and their larvae, it is better to insure yourself and additionally treat the plant with insecticides. For these purposes, the drugs "Aktara", "Aktellik", "Arrivo", "Fitoverm" are used. The most gentle method of struggle is a green soap solution, but it is effective in the initial stages!

Thrips

Another type of sucking pests, which, unlike the previous ones, for the time being, hide in the thickness of the leaf. The fact is that the larval stage occurs inside the leaves, where thrips reproduce. Until they grow up and are outside, they will have time to do enough harm to the plant! The development cycle lasts about 20 days, after which the larvae turn into insects with a small elongated body 1.5 mm in size, which easily fly from branch to branch and are capable of infecting all specimens in the home collection.

Thrips violate the structure of the leaf plate, the leaf is deformed, loses color, darkens, or discolors and gradually dies off. In addition, adult insects, like scale insects, leave behind sticky secretions that clog the pores of the plant and can provoke fungal diseases.

Signs

In the initial stage of thrips, it is not difficult to identify by the characteristic markings on the leaves. Chaotic light dots, "strokes" and whole paths appear on the surface of the sheet, which gradually spread, and as a result, they can merge into one large whitish spot! Adult insects can also be seen with the naked eye - they have a dark elongated body, are able to fly, and when they sit on a flower, they leave behind a silvery trail of sticky secretions.

Risk group
The pest is omnivorous, but palms with large leaves, citrus crops and even succulents (rubber ficus, hoya, monstera, aspidistra, laurel, eucharis, syngonium, senoplia).

Treatment and prevention

The main thing is to notice the first signs of the appearance of thrips on indoor plants in time, so that it does not have time to develop from the larvae. In this case, you can suspend the process with insecticides by spraying and root treatments. After all, being inside the leaf, pests become invulnerable to external disinfection, for this they are watered at the root! But, in order to exclude the appearance of insects outside, the aerial part is sprayed.

At the initial stages, green vegetable soap does this well (you can buy it in flower and garden stores). If thrips has strongly affected the plant, use preparations "Aktara", "Dantop", "Apache" (for root treatment), as well as "Fitoverm", "Intavir" (for external treatment).

The site flowery-blog.ru advises you to regularly inspect the inside of the leaves, spray the plants, and ventilate the room. Thrips can start even in summer period, but they, like other pests, choose weaker flowers as their "target".

Mealybug

Popularly, these pests are called "hairy lice", they are the closest relatives of scale insects and are also sucking insects. They were called so for their appearance - the clusters look like cotton wool. The mealybug on houseplants loves young shoots, leaves and buds! It sucks out the juice, greatly inhibits the growth of plants, causes the death of its parts, young shoots, shedding of buds, buds, drying out and deformation of shoots and leaves.

This enemy sometimes hides in the axils of the leaves, becoming invisible, but multiplies very quickly, and therefore spreads to the soil, shoots and even to the roots. More than 2000 species of worms are known in nature, all of them are dangerous for plants! In room culture, it is the white mealybug that is more common.

Signs

The insect does not know how to hide well, it is given out by white cotton-like discharge, in which the female insect lays its eggs! Usually, their clusters can be seen in the axils of new leaves, on young shoots. In addition to the "scraps" of cotton wool, you can see the pests themselves - they are not large, about 3 mm in size, also white, with an oblong body.

Risk group
It is impossible to say for sure which plants the worm loves! Its target can be both decorative deciduous species, and succulents and even cacti. For example, monstera, chrysolidocarpus, nolina, Kalanchoe, anthurium, camellia, azalea, clivia, amaryllis, hibiscus, asparagus.

Treatment and prevention

It is not difficult to exterminate an unexpected guest at first! It is enough to wipe the leaves, remove white bloom and disinfect the affected areas. This can be done with a cotton swab or soft brush. For cleaning, a soap solution is suitable, and for subsequent disinfection - tincture of calendula, or any herbal alcoholic infusion. Spraying with green soap solution is a good preventive measure. This will help prevent relapse!

In case of severe damage by the worm, a more radical therapy is needed - watering and spraying with insecticide preparations - "Aktara", "Vermitic", "Intavir", "Tsvetofos", "Fitoverm". If the worm has managed to spread, it is better to completely replace the soil in the pot, after examining and rinsing the roots with running water.

It is necessary to periodically inspect flowers for the presence of an evil insect. Especially young leaves and shoots! The worm does not like moisture, so spray and wipe the plants more often.

Whitefly

It is a sucking insect, about 3 mm long, outwardly similar to a white mole. It reproduces rather quickly, laying eggs in groups on inner surface sheet. Adult insects also keep in groups, sucking juices from leaves and young branches - the most delicate parts! As a result, the leaves become discolored, yellow and fall off.

These pests of indoor flowers can fly, but they usually sit lazily on the inner surface of the leaves until you disturb them. Eating, these nasty flies leave waste products on the plants, which later become the basis for the development of the fungus. Most often, the whitefly can be seen in the summer, it is also a garden "dirty trick" and a frequent visitor to greenhouses.

Signs

It is as easy as shelling pears to recognize whitefly on flowers: white larvae remain on the underside of the leaf, forming groups, as well as a characteristic whitish bloom. At this stage, it is easiest to deal with the pest!

Risk group
Most often, plants with delicate leaf plates and thin epithelium become victims of whiteflies. These are nephrolepis, tradescantia, pereromnia, fuchsia, pelargonium, Benjamin's ficus, abutilone, balsam.

Treatment and prevention

At the larval stage, the insect can be eradicated by spraying with insecticides, the most effective of which is Aktara. Also fit "Agravertin", "Inta-vir", "Akarin", "Fitoverm". If the insects have already turned into a moth, one spraying cannot be enough, because the white moth is very mobile. In this case, use duct tape to catch flies. They will become traps for flying whiteflies!

Like other aggressors, this one also loves dry air and warmth. Spray and wipe the leaves more often, inspect them from all sides in order to catch the pest in time, ventilate the room more often.

Outwardly, it also looks like a moth, but differs in color (from light green to black), the size of adult insects is about 3 mm. Inhabits large colonies, mainly on garden flowers! An indicator of the spread of aphids in garden conditions serve ants that absorb the sweet secretions of aphids. These secretions attract other insects and serve as a provoking factor for the development of fungal diseases.

Aphids on indoor plants can be found in the summer. Feeding on their sap, aphids infect young shoots, interfere with development and growth, cause deformation of old leaves and leaf fall. A plant attacked by aphids dies quickly! Therefore, it is important to have time to get rid of the insect before it has greatly multiplied. Aphids and other pests of garden flowers.

Signs

The appearance of aphids can be observed on the apical shoots, buds, young branches, which are covered with an adult pest. As a result, the leaves curl and deform. Aphids do not always know how to fly, there are wingless individuals! Aphid larvae usually hide on the lower surface of the leaf.

Risk group
Like the whitefly, the aphid selects plants with delicate foliage. The most vulnerable are ornamental deciduous species with small leaves.

Treatment and prevention

The treatment is also similar to the previous case! Timely treatment with insecticidal and antifungal drugs ("Akarin", "Aktara", "Iskra-bio", "Inta-vir", etc.) can help. It is important to quarantine the plant in time and inspect those next to it, because aphids move easily!

If the insect has not managed to occupy the entire plant, you can cope without toxic drugs - arrange a warm shower for the flower using laundry soap, or spray it with a solution of green soap.

Useful materials:
Folk recipes for pest control.
Indoor flower diseases: signs and treatment.

How to drive away flower midges. Sterilization of an earthen mixture - methods.

Now thrips, scale insects, ticks and other pests of indoor flowers will not go unnoticed, and you can effectively fight them.

If you have any questions, be sure to ask them in the comments. ✿ If you liked the article, share it on social networks.

Houseplant care

To plant indoor flowers, you need to be familiar with the basic rules for caring for them. Some plants require minimal attention, others (rare or tropical specimens) are very moody. The slightest mistake leads to their death or loss of their presentable appearance.

First of all, a florist must know how to get rid of pests. There are many types of them. They appear on domestic flowers: aphids, thrips, scale insects, false scale insects, spider mites, mealybugs, mushroom gnats, root mites.

1 Harmful and persistent aphid

The simplest and most common pest is aphid. She can be with or without wings. Individuals are egg-shaped. Dangerous by rapid reproduction. They don't need to have a female nearby. More often than not, "clones" just appear. In terms of species, pests are very diverse, they can be yellowish in color and even black.

Aphids are able to suck sap from the plant. In this case, the pests emit poison. After the toxin enters the leaves, they twist and deform. After a while, they die off. The tops of the plant become curved. Shoots stop growing.

The waste products of aphids (curing) heavily pollute the leaf plates of flowers. As a result, there is a violation of the normal life of cultures.

Aphids are carriers of various viruses. They are transmitted with the saliva of the pest. Infection causes enormous damage to plants.

It is quite easy to notice signs of damage on plants. Pests settle in large colonies, most often on the fleshy, juicy and most tender parts of the plant. They leave behind a plaque. If there are a lot of aphids, then its larvae are able to make the plant weak and decrepit.

If pests are found, it is best to bathe the plant in the shower, and then spray it with a special preparation designed to combat aphids. A week later, for prevention, the plant is treated again.

Types of indoor plants, similar to a palm tree, and their care

2 Thrips

Thrips are found almost daily. If you take an onion in your hands and remove the top husk, you can see the second layer. If it is sticky and unpleasant to the touch, it has a silvery tint, then there is a detrimental effect of thrips.

It is not easy to spot pests on a plant. Its features are:

• elongated body (dimensions can be up to five millimeters);
• unremarkable color (can be black, gray or brown).

Thrips are omnivores. They can devour both a delicate rose and a prickly cactus with appetite. Plant tissue damaged by pests dies off. In its place, black dots and large holes are formed. Leaves fall off, wither. The plant loses its presentable appearance.

As a preventive measure, you should:

• humidify the air in the room (this type of pest does not like moisture);
• inspect the leaves both on the underside and on the surface;
• arrange shower procedures for flowers from time to time.

After getting rid of the problem, the flowers are treated with a systemic fungicide. This type of pest is capable of transferring diseases from one plant to another.

Diseases of indoor flowers and how to deal with them

3 Shield, false shield

There are many varieties of scale insects. They feed on any culture. Getting on the plant, they begin to secrete a sticky liquid, on which a sooty fungus is able to settle.

The body of an adult insect has a hard wax shield. This feature of the pest makes it resistant to drugs, so spraying does not always help. Young individuals do not have such protection, it is a little easier to cope with them.

Individuals (regardless of age) cause serious harm to the plant. They feed on his juice. Even poisonous crops are susceptible to their attack.

After the appearance of the pest, young shoots of the plant begin to dry out. After that, the flower stops sprouting. Shedding and the stems turn yellow and then fall off. If you do not get rid of the scale insect at this stage, then you can lose the plant.

For prevention, you should spray the plants, ventilate the room. If possible, cut off the affected part of the flower. Specialized stores sell drugs designed to kill this type of insect. An inspection is necessary every few days.

Geranium pest and disease control methods

4 Spider mite

The spider mite appears unexpectedly. It is almost impossible to notice it until the plant itself shows that it is sick - spots will appear on the leaves.

At the first signs of a pest, white dots can be seen on the back of the deciduous side. After that, the leaves dry out, may turn yellow, the buds are subject to deformation.

How active the tick will be depends on the room temperature. The higher it is, the more he likes it. If the conditions for the pest are not very suitable, then the females may begin to hide in the soil, under fallen leaves, in pot cracks.

When caring for plants, it is better to collect fallen leaves, wipe them with a damp sponge, or bathe flowers in warm water. The surest way to fight is spraying with a solution effective drugs, which can be found in a pharmacy or in specialized stores. It is best to use several types of poisons. Such mites adapt very quickly to them, and after a while they are not afraid of them.

If joints or back hurt, include in your diet ...

5 Mealybug

The mealybug is another pest of indoor plants that belongs to the sucking insects. In length, the individual reaches three and a half millimeters. It has an oval body with growths, whitish or pinkish color. Such a pest can settle either in the axils of the leaves, or on the stem itself.

The insect has only one pair of wings. Its larvae are able to penetrate the roots of plants. Worms protect the laid eggs with secretions that have a cottony texture.

Mealybugs pierce the leaves and buds of the plant, and then suck out its juice. They do this until the culture dries up. Young insects are especially harmful. This is due to their mobility and the need for nutrients necessary for active growth. Those plants that have had the misfortune of being infested with pests will shed their leaves. Their shoots begin to lag behind in development and growth.

During puberty, the oral apparatus atrophies in males. They stop drinking the juices of the plant.

Worms secrete a slurry that contributes to the development of a sooty fungus. You can fight the pest manually, armed with a cotton swab. With its help, adults are removed. After this, a spraying procedure should be carried out with drugs that will help to exterminate small specimens.

6 Mushroom gnat (sciarids)

This pest is a black and gray insect with a narrow body and a rounded head. An adult is incapable of harming the plant. The danger is posed by larvae that live in moist soil. They gnaw at the delicate roots of the plant. After that, the culture begins to ache, stops blooming, withers. The plant may even die.

If there are a lot of midges, then they begin to feed. ground units plants. Young shoots are destroyed first.

To identify this harmful insect, it is necessary to carefully examine the land in which the flower grows. If the mosquito larva does not get into the field of view, then everything is in order. It will be enough just to destroy those insects that fly. For this, they resort to using adhesive tape or dichlorvos. If the larvae are found, then you need to treat the soil with special powders, which the flower owner can advise in the store. Barguzin is perfect for wrestling.

To avoid the appearance of pests, you do not need to greatly moisten the soil. Keep the plant dry.

7 Root mites

Root mites are small in size. They are very tenacious, so it is not so easy to withdraw them.

The most famous is the bulbous mite. He prefers to be on the bulbs of flowers such as: gladioli, hyacinths, tulips.

The pest lays huge quantities of eggs after eating the tissue inside the bulb. Subsequently, the bulb disintegrates, becomes soft and loose.

This type of mite is very fond of a humid environment. The best prevention is to keep flower bulbs and tubers in a cool dry place. In such an environment, these ticks are much less likely to survive and reproduce.

Mites are found in almost any substrate. They might even be helpful. Thanks to them, the microflora that lives in the soil can function normally. There are even predators who are ready to eat other plant pests, while these types of mites are not dangerous for the flowers themselves.

The best way to control pests is to prevent them from spreading. When buying, you need to carefully examine the plant. Wash it at home and keep it away from others for observation. It is not recommended to bathe plants together in the same container, put them on one pallet, change pallets in places, place them too closely. All this increases the likelihood of the spread of pests. The transplant soil must be sterilized. To increase the color resistance it has essential compliance with the conditions of growing and care.

When using chemicals, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations set out in the instructions, as well as observe precautions when working with them. You should stop your choice on the safest drugs.

If the treatment did not help and pests appeared on the plant again, you should not despair. The methods of action of drugs are different and, perhaps, another remedy will be more effective.

It is impossible to be guaranteed to be protected from all pests. But you need to competently approach the cultivation of flowers. If you treat the plants with care, attention, devote enough time to care, then the house will always be green. Insects will not be able to significantly harm the flora if the owner does this.

In gardens, green potash soap is also an irreplaceable assistant - it does not smell and is not poisonous to people. Potash soap should be diluted at the rate of 20 g of liquid green soap per 1 liter of water. Especially carefully spray secluded places - tops of shoots, leaf axils, apply a foamy cap to the buds. Do not wash off the soap solution!

Nematode

The nematode is of various types, the root usually forms spherical growths or swellings. Stem or leaf nematodes do not form bulges, but cause severe deformation of leaves, stems, and buds. The flowers, as a rule, do not even open. Begonia, gloxinia, ficus, ferns suffer greatly from the nematode. Their leaves wrinkle, shrink, as it were, turn brown between the veins, the young grow immediately twisted, ugly.

Some types of nematodes also form galls on flowers, often the defeat of the nematode is accompanied by symptoms of bacterial infections.

Mushroom gnats

Sciarids or mushroom gnats - small annoying midges start in flowers, fly all over the apartment. By themselves, they do not harm, the flowers do not eat up, but mosquitoes are a sure sign that the plants are systematically flooded. It is necessary to check the ground in pots with flowers, because if waterlogging is not eliminated, the roots of plants can rot.

If the mosquitoes manage to lay eggs in the soil, larvae hatch from them, feeding on rotting organic matter, which can partially damage the roots of plants.

Miner flies

The larvae of these flies gnaw out the core of the leaves, leaving discolored patterns on them - mines. The leaves of trees, shrubs, including conifers, and herbaceous plants are disfigured; in room conditions, violets (Saintpaulias), succulents (milkweed, stonecrop), hibiscus syngonium and other plants can be affected ...

Root mites

Root and onion mites feed on the underground part of plants - they gnaw out bulbs, feed on juicy roots. They are found at the stage when the plant has already suffered greatly - growth is inhibited, the leaves turn yellow, buds and flowers do not form, sometimes there is a one-sided drying of the crown - with separate branches, but more often the plant has common signs of starvation - chlorosis. Often, an infection gets into the wounds on the roots and bulbs, and the plant becomes ill with fusarium.

High moisture content of the soil promotes more rapid reproduction of root mites. Very often, affected indoor plants, especially small and delicate ones, die. The best prevention is soil disinfection and quarantine of all purchased plants.

Accidental pests: wood lice, weevil, enchitrea, caterpillars

There are such pests that appear quite rarely in pots with flowers - these are enchitrea, wood lice, earthworms can be brought in with the soil for planting plants, weevils or wood lice can get into the house from the garden soil. If you have someone crawling in a pot, take a look here, you might recognize a pest ...

Many of them are not as dangerous as they seem, and sometimes they are not at all dangerous, for example, puffs or enchitrea can eat up decaying plant roots, but by themselves they are not the cause of the death of indoor flowers. Plants die from overflow and putrefactive infections.

Puffins, springtails, collembolans

In pots with indoor plants, some white little fleas are jumping. Gray worms float in the pan after watering. Small brown spiders crawl near the roots. All these are soil dwellers - collembolans, springtails and suckers. Innocuous, in essence, the inhabitants of the soil rich in humus and organic matter. They come to our house with soil from the garden or with storey soil. But as long as the soil moisture is moderate, bugs are not visible. When the soil inside the pot does not dry out for many days, the roots of plants begin to rot, and podura reproduce in large numbers.

Puffiness is a sign of a violation of indoor plant care, systematic waterlogging, frequent watering, or improperly selected soil (too moisture-absorbing, heavy, non-porous).

No one can avoid the appearance of indoor pests: neither a novice florist, nor an experienced one. Some, scale insects or aphids, infect many types of indoor plants, others are more selective and prefer certain species and under certain conditions. For example, ticks rarely harm Benjamin's ficus, but the scale insect eats it with pleasure.

If pests are found, you must first get rid of them mechanically, wiping the leaves and stems with a sponge dipped in soapy water. It is imperative to remove damaged buds, flowers, leaves and shoots, if the leaves begin to turn yellow or become stained, they will no longer recover. If the pest is seen only on one plant, it is better to isolate the flower pot, observe the rest.

Try not to use insecticides, especially 2 classes of toxicity, without urgent need. All pest control chemicals are unsafe for humans and animals (birds and fish). All of them, in one way or another, emit toxic substances. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to fight pests with folk remedies, i.e. herbs, onion husks, as well as biological plant protection products, you must definitely try them first.

At present, the use of pesticides (plant protection products from diseases and pests) is approached quite carefully, but so far we can see a warning on the packaging with chemical preparations about precautions, and they cannot be completely safe.

Folk remedies for pests of indoor plants

• Yarrow - 80 g of dry crushed leaves, pour 1 liter of boiling water and insist for 36-48 hours, spray against aphids, thrips, ticks.
• Tobacco, makhorka - insist 40 g in 1 liter of water for two days, strain and dilute with 1 liter of water, spray against aphids and thrips.
• Onions - insist 15 g of chopped onions in 1 liter of water for 5-7 hours in a tightly sealed container, spray against aphids and ticks.
• Celandine during flowering - infuse 300-400 g of fresh or 100 g of dry celandine in 1 liter of water for 24-36 hours, spray against false shields, aphids, thrips.
• Kerosene -2 g per 10 l of water + 40 g of laundry soap - against thrips and mites.
• Medicinal dandelion - 300-500 g of crushed roots or fresh leaves are infused for 2 hours in 10 liters of warm water, filtered and sprayed against thrips and ticks.
• Marigold flowers - a glass of dried flowers is poured with 1 liter of warm water, insisted for 2 days, filtered and sprayed against the affected plants against thrips.
• Alder leaves - a glass of dry alder leaves is poured with one liter of boiling water, insisted for 24 hours. Then it is heated to 50 ° C, and kept in this infusion before planting the bulbs and tubers for 5 minutes. Thus, prophylaxis of root mites is carried out.
• Wood ash - 1 glass of ash is infused in 5 liters of water, then a fourth of a piece of grated laundry soap is added there, spray against mites and thrips.

All plants, wherever they are grown, are exposed to the invasion of various pests. In addition, indoor plants, which housewives love to grow so much, are susceptible to various diseases and the harmful actions of various insects. Various reasons contribute to this. Often the housewives themselves are to blame for this, since they do not create the proper conditions for growth and development for the plants. Some of them simply forget to water the plants, and some of them water them too much. It should be noted that there are quite dangerous pests that can reduce human labor to zero.

This is an insect with a body length of no more than 2 mm. Salient feature- these are white wings and a yellowish body. They can be found:

• WITH back side leaves, where they are located in colonies.
• On the characteristic sweetish traces, on which after a while a sooty fungus appears.

Whitefly larvae have sucking-type mouthparts, so they suck the juices out of the plant. As a result, the plant loses its vitality, gradually loses its attractiveness. If you do not take any measures, then the plant will soon die.

Interesting fact! Appearing in greenhouses, the whitefly prefers plants such as hibiscus, pelargonium or begonia. After the appearance of only one individual, after a short period of time, a whole colony of these insatiable pests appears in the greenhouse. In this regard, the fight should be started immediately.

Aphid

These are also harmful insects that suck the juices from plants, thanks to the presence of a piercing-sucking mouth apparatus. Insects are distinguished by an ovoid body shape, no more than 2 mm long. Aphids have rather long legs, but at the same time they move rather slowly. The color of insects depends on the species, as well as on the living conditions, therefore it can be varied.

Distinguish, as winged species of insects, and wingless. Naturally, insects with wings can easily enter a person's home, even through an open window.

This type of aphid is also called mealybugs. They represent some of the most dangerous plant insects. They can usually be found on the back of the leaves. Their presence is indicated by a cobweb-like coating of a white hue, as well as the presence of a sticky liquid.

These insects are different high degree fertility. Mealybug females lay their eggs in miniature formations that resemble cotton balls. After a certain time, rather mobile larvae appear from these lumps, which are the same distributed throughout the plant. Dealing with them requires an instant response. The sooner you start fighting this pest, the more chances you have to save the plant.

Males are more like whiteflies. As adults, they quickly die, as they stop feeding. Therefore, females constitute the main population of the colonies of these pests.

It's important to know! The presence of such insects on indoor plants causes the plants to lose their attractive appearance. In addition, damaged plants begin to suffer from fungal diseases.

Shield

A huge danger to plants is a false shield, which does not have a wax shell. The females of these pests grow up to 5 mm in length, while they have neither legs nor wings, unlike males. Females differ in that their body is covered with a convex shield, which can have various shapes, both round and oval.

White puffs are jumping insects that can be found in pots of indoor plants. They differ:

• An elongated body on which sparse hairs grow.
• The presence of 3 pairs of legs.
• The presence of a long mustache.
• Conditions with a humid environment are preferred.

Spider mite

Many indoor plant lovers are familiar with this common and rather dangerous pest. It is a tiny insect that can only be detected with a magnifying glass. Colonies of these insects are found on the back of the leaves. Spider mites prefer warm, dry air. Under such conditions, the insect reproduces at a tremendous rate.

To determine that a plant is infected with a spider mite, you can:

• By light spots that are visible at places where pests live.
• By the presence of the finest cobwebs that cover the plants.

Chinese roses, geraniums and palms are hit hard by the invasion spider mites that suck the juices out of them.

Thrips

These are insects, the length of which does not exceed 1.5 mm. Pests can be identified by black or dark brown body color, while the lower body is reddish-yellow. Like most pests, thrips hide on the back of the leaves. The female lays eggs in very small holes, which she gnaws in the leaves and also in the flower buds.

It's important to know! The appearance of a silvery pattern on indoor plants indicates a plant infection with thrips. These are traces of their vital activity.

These insects are also called scyriads. These are not large flies, up to half a centimeter long, that fly around houseplants. Sexually mature individuals are carriers of the larvae of various pests, with which they infect plants. The scyriads themselves lay eggs in the root system of plants, which causes great harm to plants, since white larvae appear from the eggs, which feed on the root system. The result of their vital activity is dead houseplants.

How to get rid of pests? This question haunts many indoor plant lovers. Fight pests in a variety of ways. For instance:

• Mechanical.
• With the help of biologicals.
• With the help of chemical control agents.
• Based on folk recipes.

Many lovers of indoor plants, to protect them from various insects, as well as in cases of their diseases, prefer folk remedies. These funds have been tested for many decades, so there is no need to doubt their effectiveness. Decoctions based on plants such as chamomile, nettle, yarrow, dandelion or marigold are absolutely harmless to humans and plants. The same effect is possessed by solutions prepared on the basis of garlic and onions. The prepared solutions are simply sprayed on the plants, almost every day.

Solutions based on wood ash, furacillin, soda or potassium permanganate. You just need to properly prepare the solution, after which the plants are sprayed with a spray bottle.

It's important to know! If you add a little soap, preferably household soap, to the solutions, then the product will not drain from the leaves so quickly that it will enhance the effect of using the product.