What Are the Tiny Bugs on My Plants?

Seeing your gorgeous plants growing and alive can be the best thing for any plant-lover. But even after taking care of them well, you may find pests on your plants which can be alarming. Regular pest control is a must to keep your plants healthy and thriving apart from the sunshine and watering.

If you find little black bugs on your plants, don't worry! There are plenty of ways to get rid of them. Black bugs on plants can damage them entirely if you don't detect them at the early stages. Several types of bugs with distinct characteristics make it easy to identify them quickly.

So, if you see anything unusual on your plants, it's time to look for the types and get rid of them immediately. Here are the common bugs found on plants and ways to prevent them from entering your garden.

 

Identifying common black garden pests

Taking care of houseplants is a lot of work, but it's all worth it when you see them healthy. If you find anything unusual while watering your plants, here are the ways to detect these house plant bugs and get rid of them for good.

Aphids

Aphids are winged pests and soft-bodied that feed on ornamental and homegrown plants. They can cause stunted growth or turn the leaves yellow if not treated on time.

Colorado potato beetles

Mostly found on potatoes, eggplants, and tomatoes, these little bugs are tri-colored with black, brown, and yellow stripes on their wings. If you find clustered eggs under the leaves, you need to treat your plants soon

Flea beetles

As the name hints, flea beetles resemble fleas and hop around like fleas creating pinholes on the leaves of the plants. It's a common pest found on vegetable crops.

Squash bugs

Squash bugs are found in pumpkins and squash. They are flat-backed and pretty large than other bugs. It is one-half inch in size and dark brown.

Fungus gnats

These flies infest the soil and any organic decomposition matter. They chew the roots and damage the whole plant. They feed on fungi in the soil but are short-lived.

Thrips

Thrips puncture the leaf's outer tissue, scrap the plant's flowers, and suck their juices. They are slender with fringed wings and are less than 2 mm in length.

Black vine weevil

They feed on broad-leaved greens, notch, and cut-off leaves. So, if you find the same at the center of the leaves, weevil’s are the culprits! They are slate-grey or black with elbowed antennae that cannot fly.

Blister beetle

These beetles are yellow or grey and are long and narrow. These plant-feeding insects are harmful to human beings as they cause blisters. When crushed, these beetles release a blistering agent called cantharidin, which is toxic.

Pillbugs

Pillbugs are nocturnal and can roll into a ball. You can find them under the leaves or in dark places during the day.

 

 

Different methods to treat pests

You can control pests by treating plants at home regularly as a part of your plant-care routine. There are some homemade remedies you can try too. Here is how to get rid of little black bugs on indoor plants:

Hand-picking

If you find any bugs on the plants, you can use rubbing alcohol and remove the bugs by hand using cotton or cloth.

Vinegar

Add one cup of vinegar to 3 cups of water with dish soap and spray it on the plants to eliminate the bugs. However, don't spray too much of it as it can harm the plants.

Tobacco

Nicotine sprays such as tobacco are a great way to deter plant bugs as the bugs can't stand their smell.

Washing the leaves

If there are little bugs on the leaves, you can wipe the leaves with soap water to get rid of them. If the pests are too much, you can go with other alternatives.

Soil covers

You can use soil covers to prevent gnats from breeding. Remove about half an inch of soil and replace it with fresh soil. You can add sand or decorative moss on top of the soil to prevent gnats from coming back.

Insecticidal soap

You can spray insecticidal soap on the plants to prevent the tiny black bugs on plants from destroying them. It can be neem oil, soap, or chill pepper spray to eliminate the bugs.

Steam

Stream treatment is another excellent way to treat your plant and reduce pests from infesting.

Neem oil

You can use neem oil spray on the leaves as a homemade alternative for treating plants.

 

Prevention

Getting new plants is great until you find out they are infested with pests. So, to prevent old and new plants from being damaged here is how to get rid of black bugs on plants.

• Inspect new plants before bringing them home. Carefully check under the leaves and flowers for any pinholes or larvae before bringing the plants home. You never know when your garden will be infested once you bring the new plants.
• Put new plants in solitary confinement for a few weeks. There might be bugs that you can’t see. To avoid dealing with severe damage to the plants, keep the new plants in a separate area for some days and see if any bugs surface. If they don't, you can keep them in your garden next to the old ones.

 

Conclusion

Having plants can be great, and working with them can be therapeutic until black bugs on the plants start bugging you.
But, if you find your garden to be infested with too many pests, you might need the help of professionals. They can treat your garden with the right tools so you don’t have to worry about long-term damage to your plants. You can contact us to help you with residential pest control and request an estimate. We will get back to you in no time.

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