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Help! What Are These Bugs On My House Plant?
June 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Help! What Is This Bug On My Schefflera?
June 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment
What is this very small black bug on my schefflera? I just brought this plant home three days ago from a funeral. I kept it outside for one day, then re-potted it yesterday and brought indoors. Today, I noticed these black specks and took a picture so I could zoom in for a closer look. There does not appear to be any damage, and the bugs do not seem to move. What are these critters, and how do I get rid of them? – Shelly
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
Shelly,
Looks like the larval stage of a type of small beetle. You can use a general purpose insecticide to get rid of them. Your local garden center and nursery should have something that will work. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.
What Is Eating My Pothos And Leaving Me A Nasty Present
June 29, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Ask the Expert: Bugs
I have a huge Pothos Ivy plant on a trellis and it is outside on porch in shady area. Well it seems to be infested with something that can eat the whole leaf off or half of it and it leaves behind black poop or appears to be poop about half the size of mouse poop,the poop is also all around the plant on the porch and on the plant leaves.I have no idea what this is and never saw anything like it, one day after messing with my plants I did have a catapillar on me but I dont know if catapillars do this. I also dont know what I can safely use on this kind of plant to get rid of them. I do have some seven dust spray will this harm a pothos Ivy. Thank you for your time, Patricia
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert:
You have some type of caterpillar. To get rid of the caterpillar use a houseplant spray. Your local garden center should have one that is safe for pothos.
Black Bug Wreak Havoc On Penstemon
June 28, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Ask the Expert: what is this small black bug in my flower garden?
This is a tiny black bug with a hard shell. It has antenna and six legs. It\’s eating the leaves of my gooseneck penstamon and the petals of my coneflowers. Last year I saw them inside the head of the coneflowers. They\’re very tiny and do a lot of damage. I thought they might be flea beetles, but they do not hop. However, they can walk very fast.
Thanks. Lynn
Flower Shop Network‘s Plant Expert Reply:
I am working on identifying the insect. It does sounds like a type of beetle. Can you send me a picture of the insect?
To keep this insect from damaging your perennials, you can use a systemic insecticide similar to the one used for roses or azaleas. You can get one that is mixed with fertilizer or you can get it in a liquid that you need to mix with water.
If you don’t want to use a systemic insecticide, you can spray the plants with an insecticide called eight.
Does My Plant Have Stem Gall?
May 19, 2010 by 1 Comment
Ask the Expert: what are stem galls?
I have tiny “cobwebs” at the stem end of my croton and I notice no new leaf growth and many leaves falling off. Could these be stem galls? Or what else could these cobwebs be and how do I get rid of them and ensure they don’t come back? Madelon
Plant Expert Reply:
Stem gall is an abnormal growth on the stem of a plant. It can be cause by various parasites: fungus, bacteria, insects, mites.
However, you probably have cottony scale. It is an insect. You will need an insecticide for houseplants. Your local garden center should carry one.
This plant problem question was brought to you by Duluth MN Florists
Identify These Dead Pests
August 11, 2009 by
Ask the Expert: Dead insects
- Flies Or Gnats
We are on vacation and have a neighbor watching our house. Over the past few days there have been many of these dead insects found. See attached photo. Any idea what they might be and how to get rid of them?
Thanks. Fay
Plant Expert Reply:
It could be a fruit or shore fly or even a fungus gnat. It is hard to tell without an up-close picture.
Are these in your house or where you are vacationing? If they are in your house, did you leave any fruit behind? Decaying fruit can become a breeding ground for flies and gnats. You will need to remove the breeding source – decaying fruit, soggy houseplant soil with fungus etc. To get rid of the adults you can place traps or use an insecticide safe for the house.
Good luck and keep me posted.
Brown Seed On Schefflera Could Be Brown Soft Scale
July 30, 2009 by 1 Comment
Ask the Expert: schefflera problem
I have a schefflera plant which I take outside during the spring and summer months. It grows like crazy. Last year i noticed these brownish seed like things on many of the leaves. I cut it way back, and again this year thoughs seed like things are covering a good portion of it. I don’t know if its a bug or disease problem and haven’t been able to find anything that describes this problem. Stephanie
Plant Expert Reply:
Brown Soft Scale
It sounds like you might have an insect called brown soft scale. I found this picture of Brown Soft Scale From University of Florida” Does the brown scale look like the brown seed on your schefflera?
You will need to spray an insectide on your plant to kill these insects. You will need one that is safe to use on houseplants. Your local garden center should have one. You can also try insecticidal soap which can be found at your local garden center.
Plant Has Been Invaded By Fungus Gnats
June 24, 2009 by
Ask the Expert: We Have Plant in our Store and have alot of bug
Bugs a very small like nats we tried to clean each plant out side but the bugs came back. We need help Steve and Kim
Plant Expert Reply:
You probably have a case of fungus gnats. There are a few things you can do to prevent and get rid of the fugus gnats. First moist shady conditions and decaying plant material are conditions that promote fungus gnats infestation. So make sure all of your plants drain well and allow the soil to dry out slightly (don’t let it dry too much). Remove all fallen leaves or blooms from the containers. Then spray the plants with a pyrethrins based insecticide. You will need to spray the plants a couple of times to kill all of the gnats since they lay eggs. Your local garden center can help you find the right insecticide for control and prevention. Good Luck and keep me posted.
What Is this White Bug With Antennas?
March 30, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Ask the Expert: a friend of mine has 2 plants botha different kind they both have a lotof these bugs on them the bugs look like real small they have antennas on them like a long but not to long round body like a white body if any one can tell me i would appricate it thanks dee
Reply:
Whitefly
It sounds like your friends has an infestations of whiteflies. Do they look like the picture to the right? Although these insect can fly, they often are found on top of the soil. They can do severe damage to your plants. I would recommend using an insectide with resmethrin that is safe for housplants to get rid of them. Fetilome has a product called whitefly & mealybug killer (the main ingredient is resmethrin) that does a good job of killing them. You should be able to find it at your local garden center.
Of course, this is just my first thought. If you can take a picture of them I could give it a positive identification.
Good luck and keep me posted.
