pest guide

Thicket is committed to eco-friendly pest control and will never recommend a harmful pesticide for outdoor or indoor plants. All of our pest control products are omri-certified and non-toxic. Eco-friendly insecticidal soaps, such as Bonide and Safer brands, work wonders. Many of these pests like to hide in crevices, folds, and undersides of leaves. Be sure to check your entire plant for colonies and sneaks, and ensure that the liquid covers all surfaces of your plant. 

mealy bugs

Appearance

  • Small, white, and fuzzy

  • About 3/16 inch

  • Long “tail” (almost resembling a horseshoe crab)

Detection:

  • Check undersides, crevices, and veins of leaves for colonies

  • White powdery secretions on leaves

  • Honeydew droplets

  • Discolored leaves

Treatment:

  • Initial washing/wiping of leaves with rag

  • Use cotton swabs dipped in alcohol for targeted removal*

  • Heavy spray of insecticidal soap - check back every two days for hatched colonies

* Use with caution- plants with tough leaves like succulents or ficus can take a direct spray of 75% isopropyl alcohol. For large infestations, you may need to take this approach. Watch your plant closely to see if there is any leaf damage, but we have had great success with this method on plants such as jade, ficus, and palms. 

Mealy bug pest on orchid

aphids

Appearance:

  • Small, soft-bodied, and pear shaped

  • Around ⅛ inch long

  • Green, black, white, or yellow

  • Flightless

Detection:

  • Honeydew on leaves (aphid poop!)

  • Molted Skins

  • Discolored leaves, usually in clusters of spots

Treatment:

  • Spray wash - use a strong stream of water to knock insects off of foliage

  • Alcohol swab - use a Q-tip with isopropyl alcohol to target hard-to-reach areas 

  • Insecticidal soap (Safer, Neem, Bonide) - be sure to apply the product in all nooks and crannies

scale

Appearance:

  • There are two types of scale - soft and armored

  • 1/16 - 1/8 inch

  • Soft scale produces honeydew (a sticky secretion) while armored scale does not

  • Round, shell-like coverings protect the tiny insects inside

  • Mobile, but slow

Detection:

  • Yellowing leaves

  • Look for honeydew on leaves

  • In most cases, you will see them - they often look like a bump or wart on your plant's leaf or stem

Treatment:

  • Examine the entire plant closely and pluck each scale off with hands or tweezers

  • Give the plant a generous spray of insecticidal soap and watch closely for new hatches

  • Repeat if necessary 

Small white scale pest on finger

 Fungus Gnats

Appearance

  • 1/16-1/8th inch long

  • Black body with clear grey wings

Detection:

  • You’ll see them! Fungus gnats will make themselves known. Usually, they will take flight when disturbed by water or movement. Look carefully on soil surfaces where they live. 

Treatment:

  • Sticky traps work wonders. We carry yellow sticky paper traps that are a passive way to keep fungus gnats at bay.

  • Systemic insecticide soil drench

  • Let your plant dry between waterings unless they require otherwise. Fungus gnats thrive in moist soil where they feed on decaying fungi and roots. They are relatively harmless to the health of your plants, but leaving them uncontrolled could get a bit…buggy. 

thrips

Appearance:

  • Adults- 1/16 inch slender, white, small wings

  • Larvae form- 1/16 inch, dark eyes, slim tan bodies

Detection:

  • Look for spotty discolored leaves - thrips suck fluid from leaves causing streaking and distortion

Small yellow thrip on leaf