In almost every apartment today you can find homemade flowers that fill the house with positive energy and give the owners a good mood.
There is an opinion that indoor plants are not affected by pests. In fact, this problem occurs quite often. As a rule, these are small pests that you do not immediately notice. They can multiply both in the soil and on parts of plants. If they appear, measures must be taken immediately, otherwise the green crops will begin to wither and turn yellow, or even die altogether.
Parasites on houseplants: signs
What needs to be done to save your favorite indoor flowers? First of all, you need to determine which pests of indoor plants are wound up. To do this, it is worth performing a thorough inspection of the soil and the plant itself. After that, you can start a merciless struggle. It is worth remembering that delay in this case threatens with disastrous consequences. Insects can hide in the ground, roots, onstems or leaves.
The following parasites are most often planted in the soil:
- root bug;
- enchitrea;
- gall nematodes;
- podura white;
- fungal mosquitoes.
Green parts of plants tend to hit:
- whitefly;
- mealybug;
- clover mite;
- spider mite;
- shield;
- aphid;
- cyclamen mite.
Plants react differently to each pest. They may respond by stunted growth, leaf discoloration, or wilting. Most often, during visual inspection, yellowing of the stems and leaves is striking. But how else can indoor plants be affected? Pests in the ground, the photos of which you probably could see, have no less impact than parasites on the green parts.
Let's take a closer look at each of the symptoms and the pest that is responsible for their appearance.
White spots on leaves
The appearance of whitish spots may indicate that the plant is affected by a root or mealybug. In this case, it is necessary to carefully examine all parts of the home culture. If there are cotton-like clumps, you most likely actually encountered a mealybug.
If the leaves become sticky and fall off, then the flower may be affected by the whitefly. In the case of a whitish mesh, we can say that the plant is affected by a red spider mite. With a large number of insects, the leaves may die off.
Appearance of yellow spots
How to deal with it? In case of yellowness, be sure to inspect the plant. If fingers stick to the leaves, then most likely the flower was struck by a scale insect. Also, the reason may lie in the appearance of enchitreya. These small white worms live at the very root in the soil. When brownish or brown spots appear, it can be concluded that the plant has been attacked by thrips.
Deformation of green parts of plants
In case the shoots and leaves begin to change, the flower is affected by cyclamen mites or aphids. In the latter case, sticky marks will remain on the bud. The fact is that aphids suck juice from indoor plants, as a result of which they dry out. If dust appears on the bottom of the leaves and at the same time they curl, then here, most likely, we are talking about the defeat of the cyclamen mite. When drooping shoots and leaves, we can conclude that the reason is the defeat of gall nematodes and fungal mosquitoes.
Parasite on home flowers: description
How to deal with houseplant pests? Before answering this question, it is necessary to consider the most common pests and their effect on flowers.
Some of them:
- Spider mite: This pest most often affects indoor flowers. It is difficult to see with the naked eye due to its small size. It is necessary to consider the lower part of the flower. The fact is that the spider mite does not tolerate moisture and light. Most often it appears if the room is dry and hot. Under such conditions, the spider mite developsswiftly. If you grow palm trees, hibiscus, aspidistra, you need to constantly inspect them. As a rule, insects infect the lower part of the leaves and suck out the juices. As a result, they may fade and crumble.
- Aphids: Despite their small size, these indoor plant pests are visible to the naked eye. They can be green or black. Insect colonies reproduce at a fairly rapid pace. The female can lay at least 150 larvae. After a week, they are already quite capable of breeding. In addition, females have the ability to fly. They can move to other indoor flowers and lay larvae on them.
- Shchitovka: is one of the most dangerous pests for indoor plants. It usually settles on leaves, cuttings and stems. It's easy enough to find. The insect has a flat oval body. The lower part of the body is close to the ground. Most often, scale insects are found on lemons, oranges, tangerines, asparagus, oleanders, ivy, palm trees. Basically, they settle at the bottom of the sheet. Populations of insects develop quite quickly. On the leaves, they look like dots slowly creeping along the flower. The leaves around the habitat of these pests turn yellow. Scale insects are able to suck the juice from the shoots, which deplete the plants. If you do not start to fight this parasite in a timely manner, indoor flowers may die.
- Thrips: This parasite often infects ficuses, dracaena, begonias. Females are able to make holes in leaves and buds and layeggs. These lesions are microscopic and cannot be seen. Insects usually live on the back of the leaf.
- White Podura: The main feature of this pest is the ability to jump. This soil insect lives directly in pots. It differs from other species by an elongated body with barely noticeable hairs. On the head of the insect there are antennae. Usually this parasite starts in humus-rich soil. The white podura feeds on the remains of vegetation, but can also eat roots. It is clear that the eaten parts no longer cope with their main function. Therefore, the plant first slows down its growth, and in the end it may die altogether.
- Mealybugs: These most common indoor plant pests, photos of which are probably familiar to every experienced florist, are especially fond of the back side of leaves with a vein. The females of the mealybug are large, they can reach half a centimeter in length. For posterity, they arrange houses that resemble small lumps of cotton wool. In them, the insect lays eggs, from which extremely mobile and voracious larvae hatch. It is they who conquer all the space around the plants. Pest control of indoor plants must necessarily include regular inspection of the crop. Particular attention should be paid to cacti and azaleas. Mealybugs prefer them.
- Whitefly: They are also called greenhouse insects. Most often, this pest is brought into the house along with a new flower. Therefore, when buying a houseplant, be sureit needs to be looked at properly. Even one female in a short time can reproduce a huge offspring. Methods for controlling pests of indoor plants sometimes take a lot of time and effort. Most of all, the whitefly loves to settle in ferns, fuchsia, geraniums. A two-millimeter insect feeds on plant sap. If you do not get rid of the pest in time, the flower may weaken and wither.
- Mushroom mosquitoes: many flower growers, noticing small flies around, do not attach much importance to this problem. But this insect is able to lay larvae in fertile, moist soil. Due to their small size, mushroom mosquitoes may not be immediately noticeable. The danger of these insects lies in the fact that their main food is the root system. Thus, they can quickly destroy the plant.
Insects on home flowers: how to get rid of?
Many novice flower growers today are interested in the question of how to deal with pests on indoor plants (photos of parasites will be presented in the article)? Insects, in the presence of favorable conditions, can multiply rapidly, so you should not hesitate.
How to get rid of indoor plant pests? The main methods of struggle can be divided according to the principle of impact:
- biological;
- mechanical;
- chemical;
- folk.
It is also worth considering how different effects can have pests of indoor plants, and measures to combat them depend on the type of parasite. Let's take a closer look at each of the followingabove methods.
Mechanical pest control
It is best to start with measures that are as safe as possible for humans. In addition, often it is mechanical means that allow you to achieve the maximum effect. Before starting work, you need to properly sharpen the tools. After that, it is necessary to cut off all damaged shoots and leaves. The cut sites are treated with ash or activated carbon. Visible larvae and insects can be collected by hand. If a leaf of a plant is affected by a pest such as aphids, it is necessary to wipe it with a cotton pad. Spraying with water and a contrast shower helps to get rid of parasites that live in the green parts of plants.
Biological methods
Which are the most effective? Many flower growers, choosing a remedy for pests of indoor plants, prefer to use biological preparations. They are based on natural ingredients.
The following formulations are most widely used:
- "Agravertin";
- "Fitoverm";
- "Iskra-Bio".
Before using these products, be sure to read the instructions. They contain a small amount of toxic substances. Plants are treated in the early morning, and then left in the shade. The room where the flowers were processed should be well ventilated. All exposed plant parts should be washed.
Using folk remedies
How else can houseplants be cured? Diseases and pests (photos of whichprobably familiar to experienced flower growers), can be quickly eliminated using folk remedies.
Decoctions and infusions of the following herbs are especially effective:
- chamomile;
- yarrow;
- dandelion;
- marigolds;
- nettle;
- garlic;
- bow.
With these environmentally friendly and completely harmless components, you can easily and quickly destroy all pests.
There is one effective way, using which you will forever forget about parasites. Simply bury citrus peels, such as oranges or lemons, in the soil. Insects cannot stand their smell. An infusion of tobacco, ash, a solution of potassium permanganate or furacilin with s alt also helps. To prevent the treatment composition from draining from the plants too quickly, you can add a little laundry soap to it.
Using chemicals
How else can you overcome a problem like indoor plant pests? Photos of parasites will help you quickly understand that your flower is affected. Most often, flower growers today use chemicals. However, it is better to resort to their help as a last resort, when other methods do not give the desired result. Keep in mind that these tools are not safe. It is worth using such funds only after no one is left in the room. Processing is best done with the window open. When working, it is also recommended to use personal protective equipment. When all the procedures for processing indoor plants are completed, you must thoroughly wash your face and hands. Flowers should be moved to the shade untilsolution will not dry completely. The space in which prevention was carried out must be carefully treated with water and detergents.
It is worth considering that chemicals are highly toxic. They must be kept out of the reach of pets and children. The most popular and effective means include such as "Karbofos", "Saiphos", "Chlorophos", "Trichlormetafos", "Pyrethrum", "Fury", "Decis". These substances are capable of destroying insects of almost all types.
How to deal with scale insects?
Such a pest is resistant to toxic drugs due to the presence of a shell. In the case of a large accumulation of these pests, they must first be cleaned with a toothbrush. The greatest efficiency was shown by such drugs as Actellik, Intavir, Vertimek.
Is it possible to get rid of scale insects using folk remedies? What means can be eliminated pests of indoor plants? Experienced flower growers recommend using an infusion of garlic. Plants must be treated with it until all pests are eliminated.
Conclusion
Pests of indoor plants can cause a lot of problems for gardeners. If you do not start fighting them in time, the flowers may die. Fortunately, today there are various ways to control pests. You just need to choose the one that best suits your case.
