Combating the Rise of Mealybugs, Thrips, and Spider Mites

on Wednesday, 24 July 2024. Posted in News

Mealybugs, thrips and spider mites are now at their peak, and it seems as if a lot of newly-imported plants are being delivered with a higher number of pests than in the past. The surge in pest populations can cause significant damage to your plants and requires immediate attention. Here’s a brief overview of these pests.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are small, soft-bodied insects that belong to the family Pseudococcidae. Causes yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and honeydew secretion, leading to sooty mould.

Appearance:

Size: Typically about 1/10 to 1/4 inch long.
Shape: Oval-shaped body.
Colour: Usually white or light grey.
Texture: Covered with a white, powdery or waxy substance, giving them a cottony appearance.

Damage:

Feeding: Feed on plant sap, weakening the plant by extracting its juices.
Honeydew: Excrete a sticky substance called honeydew, which can lead to the growth of sooty mould.
Symptoms: Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, leaf drop, and in severe cases, plant death.

Thrips

Thrips are tiny, slender insects that belong to the order Thysanoptera. Causes silvering or stippling on leaves, distorted growth, and discoloured flowers.

Appearance:

Size: About 1/25 to 1/8 inch long.
Shape: Slender and elongated.
Colour: Can be yellow, brown, or black.
Wings: Have fringed wings.

Damage:

Feeding: Feed by piercing plant cells and sucking out the contents.
Symptoms: Silvering or stippling on leaves, distorted growth, and discoloured flowers.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are tiny arachnids belonging to the family Tetranychidae. Causes tiny yellow or white spots on leaves and leaf drop.

Appearance:

Size: Very small, about 1/50 inch long.
Shape: Oval-shaped body.
Colour: Can be red, yellow, or green.
Webbing: Produce fine webbing on plants.

Damage:

Feeding: Feed by piercing plant cells and sucking out the contents.
Symptoms: Tiny yellow or white spots on leaves, fine webbing, and leaf drop.

How confident are you in your pest management practices?

It's crucial to stay current on the laws surrounding pest control for plants in buildings. Understanding the best methods of prevention, management, and control of common pests is essential. Additionally, addressing the increasing prevalence of 'new' pests requires attention and adaptation to emerging challenges in pest control practices.

Regular monitoring, isolation of infested plants, and a combination of manual, biological, and chemical control methods are effective for managing pests. Would you, or your team need some training on the subject, or even an expert site visit to diagnose and advise on problems?

Kenneth Freeman of Purposeful Places and plants@work Chairman has over 30 years of experience in plant protection in interior landscapes and agriculture, as well as authoring the only pest management training programme for interior landscapers approved by BASIS, and he has significant knowledge of this subject.

Training Programmes available:

A series of live webinars (45 - 60 minutes) on the key interior landscape pests, including live Q&A
A half-day face-to-face course at your premises from under £40 per person
Pre-recorded presentations on the key plant pests
Customer site visits to assess issues and recommend solutions

Please get in touch to discuss your needs or find more about training programmes here.

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