House Plant Pests

Using grow lights in your houseplant collection during winter (or all year round) helps maintain healthy growth by providing a consistent light source, reducing stress, and strengthening plants’ natural resistance to pests. 

Would you adopt a second hand plant? In recent years, preloved clothing has taken the fashion world by storm, Primark recently suggested it’s dip in sales could be down to Vinted.  So with more people embracing second-hand shopping as a sustainable and affordable way to refresh their wardrobes, could they start doing the same with their houseplant collections?  Just like second-hand clothing, rehoming plants can be a great way to reduce waste and bring new life into your home. However, adopting a used plant comes with some unique challenges, particularly when it comes to plant health and pest management. Here’s what you need to know before welcoming a preloved plant into your collection. But First, Why Preloved Houseplants? The idea of giving plants a second life aligns perfectly with the principles of sustainability. Instead of throwing out a struggling plant, many people are choosing to rehome them—whether through online marketplaces, plant swaps, street finds or second hand sales.  Could your next plant be at your local car boot sale? There are great benefits: Cost-Effective: Buying a mature plant second-hand is often cheaper than purchasing a new one. Sustainability: Reducing demand for mass-produced plants lowers the environmental impact of large-scale plant cultivation. Sentimental Value: Many plant lovers enjoy reviving and nurturing plants that might otherwise be discarded.  Some may even be inherited from a beloved relative. Unique Finds: Older, well-established plants can be hard to find, making preloved options more appealing.  Very much like when seeking out vintage clothing or furniture. What to Look Out For When Rehoming a Second-Hand Plant Bringing a second-hand plant into your home requires a little more diligence than picking one up from the high street. Here’s how to ensure your new leafy friend is healthy and pest-free: 1. Check for Pests One of the biggest risks of adopting a preloved plant is unknowingly introducing pests into your home. There’s lots more information on the following pests by clicking their names below Spider mites – Tiny webbing on leaves and stems. Mealybugs – White, cotton-like clumps on leaves. Aphids – Small green, black, or brown insects clustered on stems. Fungus gnats – Tiny flying insects near the soil surface. Scale insects – Small, brown, shell-like bumps on stems and leaves. Thrips – Patches of the leave may turn silver or yellow with black spots What to do: Thoroughly inspect the leaves (both top and bottom), stems, and soil. Quarantine the plant for at least two weeks before introducing it to your other houseplants. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth and treat horticultural soap if needed. 2. Assess the Plant’s Health A preloved plant may have experienced neglect or poor growing conditions. Check for: Yellowing leaves: Could indicate overwatering or a nutrient deficiency. Wilting or drooping: May be a sign of underwatering or root rot. Root health: Gently remove the plant from its pot to inspect the roots—healthy roots should be white and firm, while brown or mushy roots suggest rot.  Roots coming out of the bottom of the pot suggests it needs a bigger pot. What to do: Trim off dead or yellowing leaves. Repot if necessary, using fresh, well-draining soil. Treat any pest problems, help on that here. Provide the correct lighting and watering conditions to help the plant recover. 3. Consider the Plant’s History If possible, ask the previous owner about the plant’s care routine and history. Some plants may have been grown in very different conditions than what you can provide, so it’s important to understand their needs. Questions to ask: How often was it watered? Has it ever had pests or diseases? What type of light was it kept in? Has it been feed recently and what with? How to Successfully Transition a Preloved Plant Once you’ve ensured the plant is in good condition, you’ll want to help it adjust to its new environment. Here are some key steps: Acclimate Slowly: Avoid exposing the plant to sudden changes in light or temperature but make sure it gets enough light. Trim and Prune: Remove dead or damaged foliage to encourage new growth. Repot if Needed: If the soil is old or compacted, repot with fresh soil and a suitable container.  A new container should have drainage holes and not be too much bigger than the existing pot. Monitor for Issues: Keep an eye on your plant for any signs of stress or lingering pest problems. By carefully inspecting, quarantining, and nurturing your new green friend, you can ensure a smooth transition into your home—and maybe even develop a knack for plant rescue! Are you ready to embrace the preloved plant trend? Keep an eye out for community plant swaps, online giveaways, or even friends looking to downsize their collections.  Think you might have a houseplant pest problem?  Need some help?  You can always email plantcare@ladybirdplantcare.co.uk  

Pests are really good at what they do, they have evolved to evade attack from predators and this serves them well for sprays too. They hide in the parts of the plant you can't get to with a spray or they simply are resistant to the spray if it has been used over a period of time. What if I have sprayed, can I still use predators? Yes, but you will have to wait a while.  Consult the bottle or seller of the spray you have used (this goes for neem and other 'natural' products too), look for where it tells you how long it will protect the plant for.  It may not say this but it might tell you when you will need to repeat the application.  Either of these timings is giving you how long the poison is still on the plant, so how long it goes on killing insects (not just the pest) after it has been applied. After this time it should be safe to set your small army of good bugs free to clean up your pest problem. NB - Do not order live predators in advance, they should be used as soon as they arrive.  If you have already ordered just ask for shipping to be put back. More on houseplant pests

Houseplants bring beauty and vitality to our homes, but their well-being can be threatened by various pests. One formidable adversary that can wreak havoc on your indoor greenery is the notorious Vine Weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus). In this guide, I'll delve into the world of Vine Weevils, understanding their life cycle, identifying signs of infestation, and giving you an organic solution to these tricky pests. SHOP ALL VINE WEEVIL CONTROLS Understanding Vine Weevils:Vine Weevils are small, dark beetles that target a wide range of plants, both indoors and outdoors. The adult beetles, measuring around 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length, are generally nocturnal and known for their characteristic "snout." However, it's the larvae stage that poses a more significant threat to your houseplants.Life Cycle:1. Egg Stage: Female Vine Weevils lay their eggs in the soil during the spring and summer months (this can happen all year in heated conditions).2. Larvae Stage: Once hatched, the larvae, often called "grubs," feed on the plant roots. This stage is the most damaging to houseplants.3. Pupa Stage: After completing their development, the larvae pupate in the soil.4. Adult Stage: Emerging from the pupa, the adult Vine Weevils start the cycle anew.Signs of Infestation:1. Wilting and Yellowing Leaves: As the larvae feed on the plant roots, the first visible signs are wilting and yellowing leaves.2. Notched Leaf Edges: Adult Vine Weevils often leave distinctive, U-shaped notches along the edges of the leaves.  The leaves can end up looking like jigsaw pieces!3. Visible Larvae in Soil: Inspecting the soil around the base of the plant may reveal the presence of white, larvae which are often curles in a C-shape.Preventive Measures:1. Quarantine New Plants: Before introducing new houseplants to your collection, isolate them in a separate room to other plants to monitor for potential pests.2. Well-Draining Soil: Vine Weevils prefer damp conditions, so using well-draining soil can discourage their presence.3. Regular Inspection: Periodically inspect your houseplants, especially around the base and near the soil surface, for signs of Vine Weevils.Combatting Vine Weevils:Nematode treatment - this treatment kills the larvae and is watered into the soil.  You can find it here. Your soil needs to be above 5 degrees C for the treatment to work. Traps - during the warmer months (when adult populations are high) you can use traps to control the adults.  You can find more about these here. SHOP ALL VINE WEEVIL CONTROLSConclusion:Vine Weevils may pose a serious threat to your beloved houseplants, but with vigilance and proper management, you can effectively control and prevent infestations. By understanding their life cycle, identifying signs of an infestation, and implementing preventive measures, you can ensure that your indoor green oasis thrives pest-free. Not Vine Weevil?  Find out what's bothering your plants.

Sometimes it's not always possible to check your plants each week for pests Thrips and spider mites love houseplants and it's best to catch them early if you want to succeed in getting rid of them.  They hang out on your plants because you provide lots of warmth and light for them, which are conditions pest thrive in. Especially when you have a large collection, but even if you only have a couple of plants, there isn't always the time to check for first signs of the little critters.  If you have signs of pest damage or just want to find out what to look for, have a look here. Thrips and spider mire are difficult to get rid of with chemical sprays and most of us don't really want to spray poison around our homes. How to prevent your plants from thrips and spider mite infestations Slow release sachets are the safe, eco friendly, effective and hassle free to keep your plants from pest infestation. Slow release sachets protect for around 6 weeks.  They contain a breeding colony of mites that crawl out of a hole on the back of the sachet over the active period.  They work slowly so are not so good at clearing up an infestation but are great at keeping pests at bay.  Find out more here. You can use them both at the same time too, so you can control thrips and spider mites at the same time. What customers say about slow release sachets ABSOLUTE BEST "Wish I'd found out about these sooner as had to battle the worst thrips infestation and have used every method imaginable but none have been as effective as these guys! Absolutely elated, wish this was more well known than useless sprays."  FIVE STARS Definitely works for me, have been using this product for sometime now and (touch wood) no recurrence. Save on Thrips and Spider Mite controls 5% Off Subscriptions...So that you don't forget to replace your sachets, you can sign up to a 6 weekly subscription.  You will save 5% off the sachets you receive.  Shop now.   10 Free Sachets...If you order 20 or more sachets you can add another 10 (of either kind) and get those for FREE.  Just add 20 or more + a set of 10 and use the code EXTRASACHETS to receive the discount.  Shop now.  

Unfortunately pests love houseplants, it's the combination of the warmth, light and the proximity of one plant to another that creates the perfect conditions for an infestation.  Some of the most common are listed below along with links to more on that pest or directly to the products for combatting that pest. Is it Thrips? The leaf surface turns a silver colour spotted with black spots, flowers are deformed with brown petals.  The pest itself is very small and difficult to see.  More on the thrips here... How to treat Thrips Treatment will depend on how well established the infestation is.  Thrips also have different life stages and some treatments only work on the earlier stages.   Amblyseius mites are our most popular Thrips control, they feed on the larvae and will also live on pollen so can offer protection against an outbreak.  Nematodes control the larvae and the pulpae.  Orius is the gold standard in Thrips eating, they attack all life stages of the pest.  More on the treatments here... Ready to shop?  Here's a direct link to the Thrips products... Is it Red Spider Mite? Spider mites feed on leaf material.  The leaf damage will start with mottling, new growth will be non existant or sickly.  Leaves may brown and fall off.   When a plant is infested you will see a fine webbing spread across the plant.  More about the pest here... How to treat Red Spider Mite In the first instance keep affected plants cool and wet, spider mites thrive in warm dry conditions.  Use a soap based insecticide.  Amblyseius Andersoni mites are sold in slow release sachets, they work brilliantly as a preventative measure or for small outbreaks. If the infestation has taken hold we sell Phytoseiulus persimilis mites which work fast to treat an outbreak.    Here's a link to the products mentioned... Is it Sciarid Fly (Fungus Gnats)? This one is easy to spot and may be driving you mad!  Brownish in colour & 3-4mm long they crawl and slowly fly around pots and trays generally being a nuisance.  In their larval stage they are slim white maggots that can be up to 6mm long.  The adults don't cause much more than a headache but the young can be devastating for young plants and new growth.  Click for more about fungus gnats How to treat fungus gnats In the first instance you should use nematodes to control this pest, in conjunction with yellow sticky traps to get rid of the adults.  If you are growing in very dry conditions or the growing material isn't suitable Hypoaspis mites are great and can provide protection for several weeks after clearing up the problem.  Here's a link to these controls... Is it Mealybug? Little white-grey creatures which look a bit like fluffy white woodlice.  They are first spotted in the joins where leaves meet stems and on the underside of leaves.  You will see white, sicky wooley masses.  Click for more about the pest... How to treat Mealybug Clean Mealybug off as soon as you see it, but be careful - it spreads very easily and you don't want to make the problem worse. In temperatures that remain above 20°C, mealybugs can be treated with Brown Australian Ladybirds, Cryptolaemus Montrouzieri which will crawl around the plant eating the mealybugs.  Mealybug treatments...     Still not sure? You may find that it isn't any of the above, for more pest identification advice head over here or contact us directly via the Contact Us page.

When you order nematodes for fungus gnats from us you will receive Fruit & Veg nematodes, a special blend of nematodes that deal with many types of root fly, amongst other pests.  These have been proven to be the most effective against gnats. You will need to follow the instructions for Sciarid Fly (the proper name for fungus gnats). Here are some tips for applying them. When they arrive pop them in the fridge until you are ready to use them. On the day you intend to use them get them out and allow them to warm up to room temperature. Do the same with the water you will use, very cold water will slow them down. If you have the full 60 sqm to cover then follow the instructions on the inside of the cardboard sleeve. If you are just treating a few plants/trays then mix the nematodes with the amount of water you will need to water the plants/trays. You want the soil to be damp, too much water will wash the nematodes straight through.  Too little water and the nematodes will perish.  As a guide imagine you were to squeeze the pot after application, 1 or 2 drops of water should come out. You can't overdose plants with nematodes. The nematodes we sell are not harmful to anything other than the pests listed so they are safe around pets and humans! With these nematodes you are affecting the larvae of the flies, you will need to control the adults for the treatment to be really effective, we recommend yellow sticky traps. Depending on the lifestage of the gnats you may need to do a second treatment around 2 weeks later, this is because there may be eggs in the soil that the nematodes will not have any effect on. Happy nematoding!  Here's a link to a great deal on the products mentioned above - click here If you have any other questions just get in touch via the Contact Us page

Have you ever been gifted a citrus tree (or bought yourself one), only for it to look sadder and sadder and die?  We have teamed up with Citrus specialist Plants4Presents to give you this easy to follow guide. 1.  Citrus plants need lots of light They need to be near a bright sunny window (out of any draughts) 2.  They need plenty of water (but not too much) If they are thirsty the leave will drop and they will be dry and crispy.  If they have had too much water the leaves may become leathery.  Water thoroughly but let any excess water drain away. 3.  Feed them! Citrus plants need feeding, if they are lacking in nutrients then they may struggle to produce new growth and it may be pale or mottled.  Use a specialist feed, found here. 4.  Watch out for pests.  Citrus plants can attract pests, the most common are aphids, scale and red spider mite.  If you are not sure what you are dealing with just get in touch here. So do you think you have what it takes to home a healthy a citrus plant?  Have a browse of Plants4Presents amazing range!

How do you know if you have fungus gnats? Your plant will tell you, you may see stunted growth yellowing leaves or the roots may look damaged (if you can see them).  These are all signs of fungus gnat larvae being in the soil.  Most commonly though people tend to notice the adult flies.  Lots of people put the influx of flies down to fruit flies until they notice them congregating around their houseplants. What do fungus gnats look like? They do look very similar to fruit flies but their wings have a creamy translucent look and their bodies are thinner, below are a few images of the adult fungus gnat but remember fungus gnats are very small.  Fungus gnats do not tend to fly around the house, they will only hang around the plants.   Fungus gnat larvae live in the soil and eat the root material.  They look like thin white maggots.  Fungus gnat flies lay eggs which hatch into larvae, see images below.   How to get rid of fungus gnats. We recommend a combination of 2 products; nematodes and sticky traps.  The traps that we recommend are yellow sticky traps, the adult fungus gnats are attracted to the colour and get stuck. The nematodes come in a mixed species pack to ensure maximum effect.  They are watered on.  The nematodes are a parasite of the fungus gnat larvae and tend to kill them within 7-10 days. Why nematodes and traps work for getting rid of fungus gnats The approach has to be two pronged for it to work, you need to attack both the adult flies and the larvae to be able to break the lifecycle.  You need traps for the adults (so they stop laying eggs) and parasitic nematodes for the larvae (to stop them becoming adults).  If you do one without the other you will not break the lifecycle and control the fungus gnat infestation. And you can get both for £15! Fungus Gnats – Frequently asked questions Will I need a second treatment? It depends on 2 things, how bad the infestation is/was and what stage in the lifecycle the majority of the fungus gnat population is/was.  This solution relies on controlling the adults and the larvae, if there were very large numbers of either one then a second go might be needed.  Another reason would be lots of fungus gnat eggs, there isn’t a control for the eggs so you may need to treat again 2 weeks later to control these hatched eggs. Why mixed species nematodes? This product contains a blend of different species of nematode, this is perfect for controlling the fly larvae and will also control some other pests like thrips larvae. What if I only have a couple of houseplants? You can still use the solution above, just make the nematodes more concentrate and split it amongst your plants.   Want to get on and get rid of fungus gnats in your houseplants?  For £15 (including First Class delivery) you can!     Get both products now

There are a few simple things you can do to reduce the likelihood of your plants suffering a pest infestation, here's the key ones. Try and buy plants that have been grown in the UK (or wherever you live), ideally as locally as possible.  If they come from far afield then they are more likely to have picked something up on the way to you.  Examine and quarantine new plants.  Most pest problems in established collections are bought in on a new plant.  Much as it’s tempting to be a plant saver, or to save a few pennies, the plants on the bargain shelf are likely to be sickly and therefore vulnerable to pests.  Is it worth risking the health of your other plants? Is the plant in the right place?  If you are forcing a plant to live in a position that’s not right for it then it won’t be as healthy and therefore will be more vulnerable.  Do you have a selection of plants that are susceptible to certain pests?  Are they grouped together?  If they are you are making it easier for the pests to multiply.   And finally, check and clean plants regularly.  Don't let your plants become a haven for pests! Tackling a particular pest problem?  Check out the handy guides in the 'What Pest?' menu. Need help identifying a pest?  Email plantcare@ladybirdplantcare.co.uk Shop all controls

Simple answer…no.For a serious infestation you are better introducing 1 batch of predators and then introducing another 2 weeks later. Several introductions of predators is better than one big blast in most cases.Battling an infestation?   Here are some examples of predator application rates; Ladybirds and lacewings: 10 larvae/adults per metre square Thrips and Spider Mite sachets: 1 sachet per metre square or 1 per plant Whitefly predatory wasps: 1 card per metre square or plant All the application rates are on the product pages. If you have spotted a pest problem and are ordering predators it's a good idea to try and reduce pest numbers before your good bugs arrive.  Use Horticultural Soap or SB Plant Invigorator and if you don't have either wash them off with water!

Whether you have battled with mealybugs for years or have an enviable collection of plants that they love, you are probably on constant alert. They are only really a problem indoors, preferring warm conditions.   Mealybugs have no wings and travel only short distances but can spread quickly and cause some serious damage.  They will arrive on a new plant, it's is so important to check new plants, and quarantine them before adding them to your collection.  3-4 weeks is advised, this is because they are good at hiding and may be out of sight when the plant first arrives. If you have mealybugs on any plant it is really easy to spread it through touching or cleaning the plant.  When handling plants with mealybug treat it as if it is infectious, washing or throwing away cloths that have come into contact with the pest. The damage They are sap suckers secreting sticky honeydew on to plans which can then attract black sooty mould.  They also produce white waxy plooms which protects them and their young. All in all they make plants look a mess and large population can really damage a plant, eventually leading to leaf loss. The solution The brown australian ladybird, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, is native to the UK and loves to feed on mealybug!  The larvae are particularly good at cleaning up an infestation.  They look exactly like mealybugs but are bigger and more active.  They feed on all stages of the pest too, a total clean up! Want to know more about them?  Click here