The crimson anthurium I purchased for my mother was the one plant I took residence from the college greenhouse that didn’t harbor a pest able to make the most of her houseplant assortment.
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We received’t even discuss in regards to the mealybugs I by accident launched into the greenhouse at residence…
Fortunate for me, anthuriums, extra colorfully often known as flamingo vegetation, aren’t liable to many pest issues. However like all vegetation, they do sometimes appeal to just a few hungry bugs.
If these bugs strike, you’ll be ready to establish and take care of them with the data we’ve compiled for you under.
Right here’s the lineup of widespread culprits you might discover bugging your anthuriums:
The way to Establish and Handle Frequent Anthurium Pests
1. Aphids
Aphids are pear-shaped, smooth bugs that are available quite a lot of inexperienced and brown shades and suck on the leaves and stems.
Not solely do they suck the plant’s juices till the leaves change into distorted and yellow, they exude a sticky byproduct referred to as honeydew, which feeds ants and black sooty mildew, and this isn’t a reasonably sight.
One aphid can flip into an enormous downside quickly, as a result of these pests can reproduce with out mating. They offer start to stay younger, which may additionally give start after solely seven days.
I’ll offer you a second to consider the mathematics there. Not fairly, proper?
The excellent news is, useful bugs like ladybugs, parasitic wasps, and lacewings all assault aphids and can assist to knock down aphid populations and maintain them down if rising these vegetation outside or in a greenhouse.
You should purchase inexperienced lacewing eggs at Arbico Organics.
These useful predators will goal different pest bugs as effectively, so they could be a good funding.
Sure parasitoids like to assault aphids too, laying their eggs contained in the physique of the pest the place it develops into an grownup earlier than rising, turning the aphid right into a mummy.
A spread of species can be found, every with particular person local weather and pest inhabitants preferences. Some are higher for prevention, and others are efficient when launched throughout the peak of an infestation.
Aphidius colemani is an effective selection for gardeners in heat temperatures, for instance, and is obtainable at Arbico Organics.
In case your anthurium is strictly an indoor houseplant, including extra bugs into the combo may not appear to be an excellent choice, or one which’s actually possible. Fortunately, insecticidal soaps also can do the trick.
Bonide Insecticidal Cleaning soap
Bonide Insecticidal cleaning soap works effectively, and it’s additionally obtainable at Arbico Organics.
Ensure to spray instantly on the pests and verify the undersides of leaves and in crevices for hideaways.
2. Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats, within the Sciaridae household, are tiny, delicate, long-legged flies with clear wings and darkish our bodies. The adults can go away black fecal spots on the plant leaves however they aren’t the actual concern – the tiny, clear, legless, black-headed larvae are.
They primarily feed on decaying matter, however will start feeding on root hairs if there are sufficient of them current and never sufficient meals. This feeding causes decreased vigor and wilting, and offers pathogens with wonderful entry factors into the roots.
If fungus gnats are bugging your beauties, you’ll normally discover the flies indoors resting on the potting soil floor or the leaves, or flying in opposition to close by home windows.
They love a moist planting medium that’s wealthy in natural matter, so scale back watering and make sure to clear up any fallen leaves earlier than they rot.
Useful nematodes utilized as a drench to the soil or soilless medium can present wonderful management. Strive NemAttack, obtainable from Arbico Organics.
This product depends on Steinernema feltiae, a species of nematode that focuses on in search of out cellular pests corresponding to fungus gnat and thrips larvae.
Stratiolaelaps scimitus is an alternative choice. These mites will be utilized to the soil and can goal gnat larvae and pupae.
They’re obtainable at Arbico Organics.
Rove beetles are one other predator additionally obtainable at Arbico Organics, and these shiny black bugs will be launched to the medium as effectively.
3. Mealybugs
A number of species of mealybugs will assault anthuriums, together with the citrus mealybugs (Planococcus citri), for one.
Mealybugs on the whole are small, smooth, grey to white, wax-covered bugs typically sporting filaments on their sides, and generally two or three lengthy tails path behind them.
They suck the colour and vigor from the leaves and exude honeydew identical to aphids.
They notably prefer to cluster on leaf veins and in plant crevices.
The mealybug destroyer, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, obtainable at Arbico Organics, is an environment friendly mealybug gobbler. Inexperienced lacewings can even assault mealybugs.
As a result of they’re protected by that waxy masking, mealybugs are onerous to regulate with sprays. When you decide to make use of insecticidal soaps or oils, which will also be efficient, be sure you apply the product instantly on the mealybugs themselves.
4. Mites
Mites will not be technically bugs, however fairly, tiny, eight-legged creatures that suck the sap from the leaves and flowers, leaving light-colored stipples of their wake.
Severely broken foliage typically appears to be like silvered or bronzed, and generally these spider-like arachnids spin high quality webs.
Tetranychus urticae, the two-spotted spider mite, is most typical. It has a lightweight tan to inexperienced physique and two darkish spots.
There are a selection of predators obtainable to quash an infestation, together with a number of predatory mite species corresponding to these within the Amblyseius genus. Every species has its personal splendid working situations.
For instance, A. fallacis can survive when prey populations are low, and likes low humidity and heat temperatures, so it’s helpful to use as a preventative measure throughout the summer season.
The sort you select ought to rely upon pest populations and your native local weather and climate situations.
Insecticidal soaps and oils will be efficient in opposition to infestations. In case your anthurium is grown indoors as a houseplant, sprays could also be a better option than making use of predatory mites. Purposes must be thorough and might have repeating to attain management.
Pyrethroids or organophosphates are additionally efficient, however most of those harsher pesticides will not be your best option for indoor therapies.
5. Scale
Flat, oval-shaped, and located in numerous colours that always mix in with the plant, scale bugs will be tough to identify.
They like to hang around on the leaves and stems, and suck on vegetation like aphids and mealybugs do. They don’t transfer a lot, or in any respect. And if there are sufficient of them, your plant can change into stunted, lose vigor and change into weak, and will finally die.
When you discover these bugs in your plant, deal with them with an insecticidal cleaning soap or oil. Guarantee good protection and sustain with repeat purposes as wanted, following bundle route.
One thing to bear in mind: these bugs are effectively protected below their waxy coverings, and it may be onerous to kill them with contact sprays. Systemic pesticides could also be best because the bugs will ingest them as they feed.
6. Thrips
Thrips are tiny, bullet-shaped bugs in shades of sunshine tan to black. They’ve 4 fringed wings however can’t fly very effectively. Massive thrips populations can go away ugly scars on the flowers and leaves of anthurium vegetation.
A number of species will assault anthuriums, together with anthurium (Chaetanaphothrips orchidii), palm (Parthenothrips dracaenae), western flower (Frankliniella occidentalis), and tobacco thrips (F. fusca).
Except you’re an professional and have entry to a microscope, you most likely received’t have the ability to establish the person species. Fortunately, administration is analogous throughout species.
Thrips pupate within the soil, so one of many best methods to regulate them is by making use of Sf useful nematodes, as described above, to the soil or potting medium.
S. scimitus mites, additionally used for treating fungus gnats, will be utilized to knock down populations of thrips within the soil as effectively.
Each nematodes and predatory mites are appropriate for out of doors in addition to indoor use, since they conceal out on and within the soil, and received’t be flying round your home and touchdown on unsuspecting friends like different useful bugs may.
Neem oil and azadirachtin can each be utilized to assist take care of a thrips concern.
Bottles of ready-to-use or concentrated neem oil that can must be diluted can be found from Bonide and will be bought from Arbico Organics.
AzaSol Broad Spectrum Insecticide
AzaSol Broad Spectrum Insecticide with energetic ingredient azadirachtin, derived from the neem tree, will also be bought from Arbico Organics.
It is a powder that should be combined with water in keeping with bundle instructions to create a sprig for software.
Good protection with both of those is essential. Plus, thrips are most energetic within the morning and night.
It’s finest to make the most of this, as a result of they tuck themselves into tight crevices and are onerous to succeed in with sprays at different occasions.
Flawless Flamingo Flowers
Whereas the record of pests that might assault your vegetation could seem intimidating, the 2 most typical anthurium pests – aphids and thrips – aren’t really all that widespread, particularly on anthuriums grown as houseplants.
So, you possibly can chill out just a little.
However wait, not an excessive amount of! Control your plant nonetheless. Most of those bugs are so tiny they are often onerous to note till infestations change into an enormous downside.
Since these glossy-leafed vegetation want common dusting to maintain them trying recent and exquisite anyway, take that chance to examine totally when you’re cleansing and take away any pest bugs you see.
This can go a great distance in conserving your anthuriums as eye-catching as ever!
Do you’ve got an anthurium plant? Has it ever been attacked by pests? Inform us about it within the feedback under!
Within the meantime, be taught extra about caring for anthuriums in these guides:
