20 Common Plant Pests And How To Get Rid Of Them

The first plant pests are the common spider mites. These tiny arachnids can be red, yellow, or green. They are less than 1 millimetre in size and quite hard to see without magnification.

These plants thrive in warm, dry conditions and reproduce easily. Spider mites cause a stippled appearance and leaf drop in severe cases. Signs of their infestation include webbing on the underside of leaves and yellow or white speckles due to mites feeding.

How to get rid of Spider Mites

• Regular mist the plant with the help of a humidifier and place a tray of water near the plant to deter spider mites.
• Mix neem oil with water and spray on the affected part of the plant
• Use insecticidal soal onto the pests and affected area to suffocate spider mites.
• Prune the affected lease to reduce the population and prevent the spread further. 

Thrips are tiny insects with slender bodies and feather-like wings, measuring 1-2mm in length. They are found in yellow, brown, and black.

Additionally, they have rasping-sucking mouthparts that feed on plant tissue. Their feeding causes discolored flowers and speckled leaves. They also create large quantities of dark excrement on leaves that create an unsightly appearance.

How to get rid of Thrips

• Use horticultural oil to kill thrips on contact.
• Apply neem oil or spray the solution to repel thrips. 
• Remove weeds and debris where thrips can thrive.
• Use yellow sticky trap to monitor and reduce their population.

Unlike others on the list, whiteflies have a distinctive appearance with white, waxy wings that look like small moths. These small-winged insects are 1.2 to 2.5mm in length. These insects love plants like vegetables and ornamental and fruit crops.

Furthermore, it shows the sign of yellowing leaves, sticky leaves, and sooty mold growth in the plants.

How to get rid of Whiteflies

• Ensure proper watering and avoid overcrowding, which creates favorable conditions for whiteflies.
• The presence of sticky traps helps to monitor and reduce their number.
• Apply horticultural oil to the affected plant to kill whiteflies.
• Introduce a natural predator such as Encarsia formosa, a parasitic wasp, to target whiteflies.
• If the plant is heavily infested, consider removing the infected part to prevent the spread.

Sometimes, you observe the distinctive tunnel through the leaf tissue, and there is an insect larvae. These are leaf miners that originate from various insect families, including files, moths and battles. 

These are small and vary in color, but they are often not visible without close inspection. Besides, they feed and create tunnels either through trails or irregular blotches. An infested plant starts with the sign of patches and further leads to stunted growth. 

How to get rid of Leaf Miners

• Regular examination of the plant's young seedlings and susceptible crops to see the signs of the presence of larvae.
• Maintain a healthy plant by following the proper ways to care for the plant. 
• Rotate crops to destroy the lifecycle of leaf miners.
• Use fine mesh netting or row covers to block adult insects from laying eggs on plants.

Mealybugs are small, soft insects characterized by a white, cotton-like appearance due to their waxy coating. They are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long and thrive on houseplants and ornamental plants.

The most prevalent sign is the presence of a white mass on the stems and leaves. These are clusters of adult mealy bugs. Like aphids, they secrete honeydew and create a sticky residue that attracts ants. 

How to get rid of Mealy Bugs

• Use alcohol-soaked cotton swabs to wipe mealybugs off on the affected area. 
• Apply insecticidal soap to the infested areas to ensure thorough coverage.
• Insects like ladybugs and lacewings are natural predators that control mealybugs. 
• Always inspect the new plants before introducing them to the home or garden.

Your plant is showing signs of stunted growth and sticky residue. It may be the presence of aphids. These soft, sap-sucking insects are known for their rapid reproduction and ability to transmit plant viruses. They come in several colors, such as green, black, and yellow, and range from 1 to 10mm in length.

They are mainly found on the undersides of leaves and tender shoots. In addition, these pests secrete a sticky substance called honeydew, which promotes the growth of sooty mold and attracts other pests.

How to get rid of Aphids

• A strong jet of water is sprayed on the affected part of the plant to dislodge the aphids. It is one of the effective early methods of infestation. 
• Use insecticidal soap solution and spray it on the affected part of the plant. 
• You can remove aphids by wiping them off with your fingers or a cloth and keeping them in a bucket of soapy water.

Leafhoppers are small, wedge-shaped since they are 1/8 to 1/2 inch long. They have a distant shape with a pointed head and a body taper towards the rear. 

The fun fact is that they are known for their ability to jump and fly short distances rather than disturbed. They leave white spots on leaves, and sometimes you can see them in the undersides of the leaves. Besides, they are known to lead to the damage and transmission of plant diseases. 

How to get rid of Leafhopper

• Use melsh net to exlxude leafhoppers from plant.
• Apply the wash for insecticidal soap to the affected plants.
• Use neem oil as a natural insecticide and repellent to deter leafhopper.
• Attract lacewings, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps as they prey on leafhoppers.

Spittlebugs are small insects easily recognizable by the white foamy mass they produce. These pests are green or yellow in color and are covered with the frothy substance they create using plant sap.

The amazing part about the foam is that it protects them from predators and environmental conditions. However, it is not good for plants. The foam results from their chewing on leaves, which causes leaf distortion.

How to Get Rid of Spittlebugs

• Wash down the foamy masses and repeat as necessary.
• Treat the affected plants with insecticidal soap.
• Apply neem oil as a natural pesticide to disrupt their feeding.

Japanese beetles are invasive pests with striking metabolic green bodies and bronze wing covers. They are 12 inches long and have white tufts of hair along the sides of the abdomen. 

They are known for their voracious feeding habits, which target over 300 species of plants, including some common houseplant roses, grapes, and linden trees. The most noticeable damage from them is the skeletonization of leaves, as they eat the tissue between the veins that leaves a lace-like appearance.

How to get rid of Japanese Beetles

• Develop a healthy plant habit with proper water, fertilization, and pest management.
• Choose plants that are less attractive to Japanese beetles. Some resistant plants include red maple, dogwood, and juniper.
• Use traps designed to capture Japanese beetles, but place them away from desirable plants to avoid drawing beetles closer to your garden.
• Pick the beetles off plants in the early morning when they are sluggish and drop them into a bucket of soapy water. 

It is common to observe slugs in the rainy season. They are soft-body molluscs characterized by their elongated, slimy bodies. Slugs are brown or grey in color and feed on young plants. They chew on the shoots and leaves of the plant, damaging the fruit. 

How to get rid of Slugs

• Regularly inspect your garden and handpick it. Place them in soapy water to kill them. 
• Set up traps using the shallow dish filled with soapy water as they are attracted to these liquids. 
• Create barriers using copper tape around the plant beds. 

Cutworms are the larvae of certain moth species that are destructive pests to crops, gardens, and lawns. When disturbed, they curl in a C shape and grow up to 2 inches long.

They are grey, brown, or black caterpillars with a distinct pattern of spots on their bodies. Bare patches in the field indicate them, holes cut into emerging leaves, and wilting of plants and tubers with holes. 

How to get rid of Cutworm

• Expose larvae to predators and desiccation by plowing the soil.
• Destroy the weeds and vegetation two weeks before planting to reduce food sources.
• Delay translating until stems are too hard for cutworms to cut.
• Use beneficial nematodes or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to control larvae.

Cabbage worms are the larval stage of the cabbage white butterfly that grows to about 1 inch long. These distinct green caterpillars have a yellow line running down their sides. They leave behind small, dark green droppings called frass, which accumulate on the soil.

How to Get Rid of Cabbage Worms

• Check plants frequently and remove cabbage worms by hand.
• Spinosad, a natural insecticide derived from soil bacteria, is applied to control them.
• Prevent adult butterflies from laying eggs on plants by using floating row covers.
• Disrupt the life cycle of cabbage worms by rotating crops regularly.

Earwigs are elongated, brown insects that measure about 1 inch in length. Their distinctive pincers recognize them at the rear end of their bodies. 

On the other hand, they are nocturnal creatures that thrive in dark and damp places. While they are scavengers, they also feed on living plant material. They damage the plant with irregular holes and leaves and small droppings near damaged plants. 

How to get rid of Earwigs

• Use rolled-up newspapers as traps and place them in the garden overnight.
• Apply food-grade diatomaceous earth around the base of plants and abrasive to insects. 
• Reduce moisture in the garden, as earwigs thrive in damp environments. 

Fungus gnats are small and dark flies that look like mosquitoes about 1\8 inches long. They have long, slender bodies with delicate wings. These thrive in damp places in potting soil around houseplants. Infested plants exhibit the wilting and yellowing of leaves. 

How to get rid Fungus Gnats

• Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings to avoid over-moisture as fungus gnats thrive in them.
• Place yellow sticky traps near affected plants to capture adult flies
• Replace the top layer of potting soil with fresh and dry soil to destroy the life cycle of the larvae.

Tent caterpillars are the larvae of several moth species in the family Malacosoma. They are known for constructing large, conspicuous silk tents in the branches of trees and shrubs.

These tents serve as shelters for the caterpillars from predators and inclement weather. The distinctive sign of their infestation is the presence of these tents in tree branches. As the caterpillars feed on the plant, the size of the tent increases to accommodate their growing numbers.

How to Get Rid of Tent Caterpillar

• Prune their nests and infested branches early in the season.
• On small trees or shrubs, manually remove the caterpillars by hand.

Root maggots are the larvae of various types of cabbage and onion maggots. These small, soft-bodied larvae are about 1/4 inch long and white and live in the soil. They feed on cruciferous and root crops, causing wilted plants and damaged roots.

How to Get Rid Root Maggots

• Apply floating row covers to exclude adult flies from laying eggs on your plants.
• Avoid overwatering to prevent moist conditions that attract root maggots.
• Remove debris and weeds around the garden, as they can harbor adult flies and larvae.

Beet armyworms are the larvae of a small moth that can be a significant pest for a variety of crops, including beets, spinach, lettuce, and other vegetables. They are 1.5 inches long and come in different colors, from green to black. 

They have the unique ability to feed in large groups. However, that can be a problem as it causes the plants to have irregular holes and ragged edges on the stem. 

How to get rid of Beet Armyworms

• Use neem oil as a natural insecticide and repellent to deter beet armyworm.
• For small infestations, you can manually remove and destroy the caterpillars by handpicking them off.

Corn earworms are the larvae of a small moth that primarily feeds on corn. But they also love to eat your wide range of other crops, including tomatoes, peppers, and beans. Growing around 1/5 inches tall in green, brown and pink color with distinct stripes.

The infamous pests are famous for their strong appetite and cause the district to manage your plant. 

How to get rid Corn Earworms

• Clean up plant debris at the end of the growing season to reduce overwintering pupae.
• Apply insecticides when you notice the signs of infestation, as timing is crucial to treat before their growth increases. 
• Use pheromone traps to monitor and reduce adult moth populations. 

Small flea beetles are known for their ability to jump. According to their name, they are black and brown and about 1\6 inch. They are a popular problem that causes pets among young plants. From small round holes in a plan to wilting leaves, these are the signs of their presence.

How to get rid of Flea Beetles

• Use mesh netting to physically exclude flea beetles from reaching your plants.
• Apply neem oil as a natural insecticide to destroy the reproductive cycles of flea beetles.
• Consider planting trap crops or companion plants that are less attractive to flea beetles, such as radishes or mustard, to draw them away from more valuable crops.

The scale insects are a bit different from pests to control due to their hard protective shell. The sap-sucking pests appear to have oval-shaped bumps on plant stems and leaves.

Depending on the species, they can be brown, black, or even white. Their infestation can lead to yellowing leaves and stunted growth of the plant. 

How to get rid of Scale Insects

• Use a soft toothbrush to scrape off the scale inset from affected areas. Be careful not to damage the plant in the process.
• Apply horticultural oil to infested plants, especially on the undersides of leaves. 
• Apply the insecticidal soap and disrupt the reproduction of scale insects.