Which House Plants Bring Bugs?
What is the primary reason people adopt indoor plants? Fear of pests*. Although indoor plants can attract pests, many people worry about the fact that plants improve the aesthetics of your home and have a significant positive impact on your physical and mental health. Although it’s a valid worry, it is important to remember that having indoor plants does not always involve dealing with the problem of pests. Nevertheless, keeping your plants and house free of pests takes work and knowledge.
Some people choose to remove their outdoor plants and bring them inside, which can add beauty to the interior but also increase the risk of attracting various house insects. You may bring insects home with you even if you purchase houseplants from a garden center.
Do Indoor Plants Attract Bugs?
Yes and no, depending on the particular plant you’re asking to. A few measures can reduce the insect attraction of your houseplants, while certain plants are likely to attract more insects than others.
Insects are drawn to your home mostly because you create their ideal environment. Insects require food and shelter to exist, which your home’s mild humidity, lack of airflow, and warmth give.
Plants with softer leaves or blooming are more manageable to attract pests. The presence of pests, which may quickly move from one indoor plant to another, is more likely to occur if you have many poorly maintained indoor plants.
Some Common Bugs in Indoor Plants
Fruit Flies
Do indoor plants attract fruit flies? Although indoor plants do not actively attract fruit flies, you may notice them hovering around your potted plants. This could be because they became attracted to other items in your home, such as decaying fruit, sweet drinks, unclean waterways, and dirty surfaces, whereas houseplants attract fungus gnats.
Indoor plants, particularly those that grow in warm environments such as kitchens and bathrooms, may appear to be containing fruit flies.
How Can I Get Rid of Fruit Flies?
- Remove any old decomposing produce
- Clean drains regularly
- Wipe up drink spills
- Use a chemical spray formulated for flies
Fungus Gnats
Do indoor plants attract gnats? Yes, indoor plants attract fungus gnats. Smaller than fruit flies, fungus gnats are similar to them. Fungus gnats have a black or dark brown body and head. Their legs have a pale brown hue.
When fungus gnats do get to your indoor garden, they will probably lay ting bugs in houseplant soil. You’ll probably have an infestation when the eggs hatch because fungus gnats are known to lay 200 eggs at a time. It takes three days to complete this process.
How Can I Get Rid of Fungus Gnats?
- Ensuring your houseplants have enough drainage and are not overwatered is the most significant way to prevent fungus gnat pests completely.
- For detailed information on removing Fungus Gnats, read our article “How to get rid of bugs on Indoor plants naturally”.
Spider Mites
With 1,200 species, the spider mite is another common insect in indoor gardens. This spider mite isn’t exactly something you want to see because it has a lot of legs and is red with translucent or white legs.
The spider mite will select your houseplant as its home and nest under the leaves. Under the plant’s leaves, the spider mite will create delicate silken webs. In addition to eating your plant, the spider mite will make holes in the cell walls.
How Can I Get Rid of Spider Mites?
- Apply a pesticide or make use of a biological control method.
- If the weather is hot and dry, mist your plants daily to increase humidity as red spider mites like hot, dry environments.
- Be alert and search the undersides of leaves with a magnifying glass for mites.
Aphids
Insects that also enjoy syrup are aphids. Although they go by several names, aphids are also known as greenflies or blackflies. Aphids aren’t only black or green; they come in various colours.
Aphids are attracted to the liquids in your houseplant and are usually the ones carrying the nutrients your plant requires for its survival. If too many aphids get together, your houseplant may get injured and weak.
How Can I Get Rid of Aphids?
- You can remove them manually, use water to remove them or apply insecticide. It can be helpful to hang a yellow sticky trap nearby.
What Indoor Plants Don’t Attract Bugs?
Several indoor types of plants do not attract insects. Insects are attracted to some indoor plants but not others.
Here are a few examples of plants that resist bugs.
- Sansevieria
- Aglaonema
- Chinese Evergreen
- Coleus Blumei
- Cast Iron Plant
- Cissus
- Aspidistra Elatior
- Grape Ivy
- Coleus
- Dracaena
What Indoor Plants attract Bugs?
Commonly attract to Bugs
Indoor Vegetable Plants:
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Onion
- Tomatoes
- Tuberous
Other:
- Money Plant
- Rubber Plants
- Aloe Vera Plants
- Snake Plant
- Spider Plant
How to Prevent Indoor Plants from Bugs?
It is simpler and more successful to keep bugs out of indoor plants before they become infected than it is to try to get rid of them once they are there. Six strategies are listed below to stop bugs from damaging indoor plants:
Avoid Overwatering: Wet, moist soil is ideal for the growth of insects. To keep the soil’s moisture balance in check, water the soil once more, only after the top layer has dried.
Keep an Eye Out for Bugs: Spot bugs regularly to detect their presence and take immediate action to limit the infestation’s growth.
Air Circulation: A healthy air circulation system helps to eliminate stale air, which is a major source of insect attraction.
Use Only Clean Pots: Pots should always be cleaned before being used, and plants should never be placed in a dirty pot that may already be home to pests.
Clean Leaves: Fallen leaves that have landed on the ground provide the perfect habitat for insects to live and reproduce.
Maintaining Plant Health: A strong plant is far less susceptible to pest infestation and attack.
How to Manage Bugs?
You can still have pests on your houseplants even with your best efforts. It’s important to respond quickly if you see any signs of an infestation, such as visible insects, sticky residue on leaves, or rotting foliage. To stop the pests from spreading to other plants, start by separating the affected plant.
Then, based on the size of the infestation, you can use a variety of control techniques and discover how to get rid of bugs like:
Manual Removal: Use your hands to remove insects or trim any damaged plant parts.
Natural Solutions: Treat infected plants with natural pesticides and insecticides such as soaps or agricultural oils like neem oil.
Environment: To prevent insect activity, environmental factors, including humidity levels and air circulation, must be changed.
Conclusion:
While it is true that houseplants can draw insects, not all indoor plants will result in pest problems. Many things, including overwatering, improper soil drainage, and limited air circulation, can cause infestations of insects. Fruit flies, spider mites, and fungus gnats are among the insects that are more likely to be attracted by specific indoor plants.
In addition, mistreated or overgrown plants might serve as pest breeding grounds. Insect infestations can be avoided by routinely checking your plants for indications of pest activity and by providing proper plant care, such as regular cleaning and watering. The risk of unwanted pests in your indoor garden can be reduced by selecting insect-resistant plants and keeping a neat and tidy environment.
