10 Common Houseplant Pests and How to Get Rid of Them

Bringing a houseplant into your home not only elevates your décor but also provides a variety of benefits like improving air quality, reducing stress, boosting your mood, and they make excellent gifts. But all these benefits come with a bit of effort.

Maintaining the health and happiness of your houseplants can be tricky, particularly when pests decide to invade. Luckily, even a small infestation doesn't have to be catastrophic. We spoke with plant expert Estany Clark for tips on identifying, safely treating, and preventing the most common houseplant pests.

How to Spot and Prevent Houseplant Pests

Eventually, you’ll likely encounter pests on your houseplants. However, there are steps you can take to prevent an infestation from getting out of hand.

Regularly Inspect Your Plants

Prevention is essential to stopping pests from spreading. Make it a habit to check leaves and stems every time you water. Also, inspect any new plant thoroughly before bringing it inside. The sooner you spot a pest, the easier it is to treat and save your plant.

Signs of Pests

Separate New Plants

Plants in nurseries are often grown closely together, making it easy for pests to spread. When you bring home a new plant, it’s wise to keep it isolated from your other plants for a few days to check for any pests.

Quarantine Infected Plants

If you find pests on any of your houseplants, quarantine it right away. Pests can spread quickly between plants. Isolate the affected plant and treat it until no signs of pests remain, then you can return it to your collection.

Use Sticky Traps

Sticky traps, usually used for larger pests like crickets and rodents, can also help capture insects that are harming your plants. Some traps are designed with colors and scents to attract bugs more effectively. Place the trap near the pot of the infested plant, ensuring it is out of reach of pets and children. Check the traps regularly and replace them when they are filled.

To treat your plant more effectively, first identify the pest and choose the appropriate treatment for that specific infestation.

Aphids

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects, often shaped like pears with long antennae. They damage plants by piercing the plant tissue to feed on its sap. As they feed, they release a sugary waste called 'honeydew,' which leads to the growth of a fungus known as sooty mold, causing leaves and branches to turn black. This is usually when an aphid infestation is first detected.

Aphids form colonies on the undersides of leaves. They typically measure less than 1/4 inch in length when fully grown and are often difficult to spot with the naked eye. Depending on the species, they can be various colors, including white, black, brown, gray, yellow, light green, or pink.

How to Eliminate Aphids

The key to handling an aphid infestation is early detection. "Look closely at the edges of leaves and flower buds," advises Clark. "Aphids often target soft new growth." She also suggests using a spray bottle to dislodge aphids and their eggs, or rinsing the plant's leaves in the sink. For a moderate infestation, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap over several weeks to ensure all eggs are eradicated.

Spider Mites

These tiny, microscopic pests appear as moving dots to the naked eye. Adult females are less than 1/20 inch in size! Spider mites live in colonies, typically on the undersides of leaves. Due to their small size, most plant owners don’t spot them until webbing starts to appear on the plant. In more severe cases, webbing can be seen between the leaves or branches.

Like aphids, spider mites damage plants by sucking the sap from the leaves. The first signs of damage are light stippling marks on the leaves. Over time, the leaves turn yellowish or reddish and may fall off. "Check the undersides of leaves closely," Clark advises. "Look for small bits of debris near the leaf veins," she adds.

How to Eliminate Spider Mites

In the early stages of a spider mite infestation, you can wipe or rinse the leaves with water on smooth-leafed plants like ficus, stromanthe, or monstera. "This step should significantly reduce the mite population," says Clark. "Repeat this process every few days for several weeks to ensure any remaining mites are gone." After managing the initial infestation, treat the plant with neem oil to completely eradicate any leftover spider mites.

Brown Scale

These tiny, soft-bodied pests resemble flat brown slugs. Like other houseplant invaders, brown scale feeds on the plant's sap. Due to their small size, they can be difficult to spot, especially in the case of a mild infestation. However, if you take a closer look, you’ll see them as unusual brown bumps either on the top or bottom of a leaf.

How to Eliminate Brown Scale

Clark recommends her favorite treatment for scale is to wipe or wash the leaves and stems, removing both the insects and the honeydew residue they leave behind. This method is effective for smaller infestations, and you can even pick or rub them off manually. For larger infestations, neem or horticultural oils are necessary.

You’ll also need to continue inspecting and removing any adult pests at least once a month. According to Clark, this ensures that any early instar stages (the phase between molts) haven’t been overlooked.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are soft-bodied insects that appear as cotton-like clumps on your plant's leaves and stems. "Mealybugs can be hard to notice in their early stages," Clark cautions. "However, they become much more visible in their adult form." Adult mealybugs typically have an oval shape and are covered in a white or gray mealy wax. "Unfortunately, by the time you spot an adult female, she’s likely already laid and hatched hundreds of eggs," Clark explains.

Mealybugs feed on plant sap, leaving behind honeydew that attracts other pests and promotes the growth of sooty mold.

How to Eliminate Mealybugs

The most effective way to address a mealybug infestation is to catch it early. Remove any cotton-like masses on the leaves or stems by washing or wiping them off. Alternatively, you can use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to spot-treat the affected areas. Dab the alcohol directly onto the mealybugs to kill them instantly. Be sure to check your plant every few days to ensure you eliminate any adult mealybugs.

Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats are drawn to high humidity and moisture. Many houseplant owners notice them when the adults fly around plants or gather near a window. While adult gnats are harmless, they can be bothersome with their incessant flying. The larvae, however, can harm delicate plant roots.

How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats

"Fungus gnats thrive in houseplants where the soil stays consistently damp," says Clark. To eliminate these pests, adjusting your watering routine is key. "Only water when the top two inches of soil are dry, and reduce watering during colder months," advises Clark. Additionally, it is crucial to trap adult gnats to prevent them from laying eggs in the soil. The most effective way to capture them is by using yellow sticky traps. These may need to be used for several weeks to ensure all adult gnats are caught," Clark recommends.

Whiteflies

Whiteflies are another type of sap-feeding insect commonly found in clusters on the underside of leaves. These tiny pests often go unnoticed until the plant is disturbed, sending clouds of little flies into the air. Both the nymphs and adult whiteflies can cause harm to the plant.

How to Get Rid of Whiteflies

To eliminate whiteflies, start by controlling the adult population. You can reduce their numbers by blasting them with a strong water spray or setting up yellow sticky traps. For more severe infestations, treat the plant with insecticidal soap or neem oil. It may take multiple treatments to eradicate any remaining whitefly eggs on your plant.

Springtails

Although they are no longer classified as insects, springtails remain pests, particularly in dark environments with damp soil. They feed on plant roots and, while harmless on their own, their presence in large numbers can become a nuisance for plants.

How to Get Rid of Springtails

Springtails can be eliminated using a vacuum or insecticide. It's important not to use a regular household vacuum; instead, opt for a wet-dry shop vacuum with a bit of soapy water in the collection area. After vacuuming them up, thoroughly clean and dry the shop vac. Since springtails are wingless and resemble fleas, be sure to inspect the area after cleanup to ensure none have escaped. To prevent their return, keep the area dry after the infestation is cleared.

Thrips

Thrips are tiny, elongated insects with wings that feed on the tissues of leaves, flowers, and fruit. These pests are particularly drawn to lighter-colored plants and blossoms. Also known as thunderflies, thrips can be either pale or dark and cause damage to plants by extracting their sap.

How to Get Rid of Thrips

To prevent thrips from laying eggs, keep your plant and garden free from debris and fallen leaves, both living and dead. If your plant is outdoors, consider introducing beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, and wasps, which prey on thrips without harming your plant. Additionally, spraying the plant with water or using safe sprays and repellents can help eliminate thrips.

Snails

Snails are attracted to moist environments, so if your indoor plant is situated in a humid spot lacking sunlight, it could become a target for snails. These creatures are not picky eaters and will munch on various types of leaves and plants.

How to Get Rid of Snails

It's quite easy to remove snails from your houseplants. A good spray of organic pesticide or sprinkling ground coffee beans around the base will usually do the job. You can also gently pick them up by their shells and take them outside.

Slugs

Slugs will chew holes into your plant leaves and leave behind a slimy mucus trail. While they are less commonly found in indoor plants (usually entering from the outdoors or through an open window), slugs can cause significant damage over time, which may not be immediately noticeable.

How to Eliminate Slugs

Much like snails, slugs can be eradicated using an organic pesticide or ground coffee beans. Unlike the smaller, harder-to-spot pests, slugs can easily be picked off the plant and relocated outdoors.