Yesterday, your plant was fine. But today? There are tiny white buds everywhere. Oh, infestation…

This doesn’t stop here! These little enemies moved in, drained all your plant’s water, and, in return, left an annoying sticky mess behind. 

You do your best to care for your plant, and this is how they pay you back. Rude! Fortunately, you can stop them before they get even worse. 

No matter what type of buds they are, let’s learn how to kick them off and save your plant. Without further ado, let’s dig in. 

Little White Bugs Taking Over Your Plants? Here’s How to Identify and Treat Them

Perfect, you are ready to get those bugs out of your garden. But who they are? Let’s have a closer look at those who are making themselves comfortable in your garden. 

Glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) adults on the underside of the leaf.
Glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) adults on the underside of the leaf.

About 1/16 inch long, whiteflies are small insects that look like small moths with white milky wings. When you touch the infested plant, they fly all of a sudden, creating a white cloud-like effect

Remember: Whiteflies are actually not true flies but they are very closely similar to aphids and mealybugs. 

Spiked mealybug, coconut mealybug, Nipaecoccus nipae. A colony of insects on a leaf.
Spiked mealybug, coconut mealybug, Nipaecoccus nipae. A colony of insects on a leaf.

2nd type of bugs that may infest your plant are mealybugs. Look? Tiny, soft body covered with white, slippery, cotton-like substance. Mostly you’ll find these insects on leaf axils and some other protected areas. They usually feed on plant’s sap which may lead to yellowing of leaves. 

Remember: These tiny mealybugs are more problematic in indoor plants. Why? The absence of natural predators. 

Aphids, black fly (black bean aphids) on broad bean plant, UK
Aphids, black fly (black bean aphids, blackfly) on leaves of a broad bean plant

Last but not least, Aphids a multicolored, pear-shaped insects. You often see them in either of the colors green, yellow, black, or white. The only difference is they leave in clusters on the underside of leaves. 

They suck sap and leave a similar curl and cause yellowing of leaves.

Pro-Tip: Aphids love fresh, newer growth, and they make new young plants vulnerable. 

Greenhouse whitefly adults and eggs (trialeurodes vaporariorum) infesting a citrus leaf
Greenhouse whitefly adults and eggs (trialeurodes vaporariorum) infesting a citrus leaf

Hurrah! Now you know who is attacking our plant and getting all the essential sap and nutrients out of it. Let’s see have to spot damage done by those tiny enemies. First, if you notice any residue left behind on the leaves. It’s a red flag. 

Another sign is the shedding of leaves too early and you have to react early as this way your plant loses its strength and ultimately will stop growing. 

You must check your plants regularly so you can catch up on these signs early before things go out of control. 

Using water

You know who is infesting your plants and how to identify it. But how can you save your green buddy from these tiny bugs? Let’s see what you can do. 

First of all, use high-speed water spray to blast these enemies off the plants, especially under the leaves. Remember, do this in the early morning so that plants dry out before nightfall.  

If simple water doesn’t affect them, you can use neem oil, a natural pest repellent. This oil stops the small pests from feeding and laying their eggs which eventually prevents plants from further damage. 

You can also use metallic mulch or aluminum foil around the base that’ll reflect them and keep them away from the plant.

Infestation of whitefly on the underside of the leaf. Egg patterns, cocoon, secretions and adult specimens.
Infestation of whitefly on the underside of the leaf. Egg patterns, cocoon, secretions and adult specimens.

Congrats, you’ve learned the ways to save your affected plants from getting even worse, but is there any way you can stop these pests from attacking your plant? Absolutely!

Regularly check your plants against all these odds. Always check under the leaves, stem, and solid for any suspicious activity. 

Weak plants attract these tiny insects like an open buffer (free of cost, of course.) So, keep watering your plants regularly to make them strong enough to fight back. 

Plant any sticky residue near the plant that can attract pests so they get deflected from their original target. 

Colony of Spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus floccissimus on green leaf
Colony of Spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus floccissimus on green leaf

And there you’ve it all you need to know about these tiny pests and getting your plant ready for the next attack. Simply healthy plants are less likely to be affected by them, so check your plants regularly and do proper TLC.

Want more tips? Check out Tiny Garden Habit for easy plant care hacks!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *