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    Home » Indoor Plant Guides

    Published: Jul 29, 2021 · Updated: Aug 22, 2023 by Harshad Sawant · Leave a Comment

    6 Spider Plant Pests: Identification & Control Tips

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    Want to learn about Spider plant pests?

    Like any other indoor plant, the Spider plant can become an easy target for many known pests in the gardening world.

    These pests often attack the leaves and stems of the plant, as these are the parts that produce resources for the entire plant system.

    So, what are these common pests?

    And more importantly, how do you deal with them?

    I know you must be curious to learn more about them.

    Well, let's dive deep into this topic and get to know some detailed information about these pests.

    spider plant affected by pests
    Jump To:
    • What Is Eating My Spider Plant? - 6 Common Pests
    • How To Get Rid Of Spider Plant Pests
    • FAQs

    What Is Eating My Spider Plant? - 6 Common Pests

    In the following list, you will find the common pests that attack the Spider plant's leaves.

    1. Aphids

    Aphids are one of the most destructive pests in the world.

    These insects affect pretty much all types of indoor and outdoor plants.

    They thrive on the sap produced by the plants, which contains all the nutrients required for their growth.

    The other interesting characteristic of this pest is that it multiplies quickly.

    So, if you don't attend to your Spider plant or any other plant in the garden, you will see a widespread attack on most plants.

    2. Mealybugs

    Mealybugs are another common pest in the plant world.

    These white-bodied insects follow the same strategy to wreak havoc on the plants.

    They will extract the sap from a thriving plant and will live on it for a few days until they find a new stem or a new plant altogether.

    However, mealybugs are easy to identify, as they live in colonies that appear like white clusters.

    If you see something like this on your Spider plant, you need to look at it closely.

    In most cases, it's going to be the mealybugs infestation on the plant.

    3. Scale

    Scales are relatives of mealybugs.

    They also appear white and live in colonies.

    These insects live on plants that produce sap in the leaves or stems.

    Unlike other pests, the scale attack is not as common as other pests' attacks on Spider plants.

    Still, you shouldn't rule out the possibility completely.

    Try to inspect the plant thoroughly and see what's causing the damage to its parts.

    4. Spider Mites

    Spider Mites are not as common as Mealybugs or Aphids on Spider plants.

    But if these pests infest other plants in your home garden, it won't take much time for them to jump onto this plant as well.

    These mites are quite tiny in their appearance, and they often live under the leaves.

    Like most spiders, these mites will also develop small webs on the surface of the leaves.

    The webs, however, are primarily used for protection from different predators.

    These mites don't use these structures to catch flies or any other insects around the plant.

    So, it's something you should never forget while inspecting the plant for possible mites attack.

    5. White Flies

    As the name suggests, these little pests have a white-bodied structure.

    They also extract the sap from the plant, which makes the plant weaker.

    Since these insects have wings to fly, you will find them flying around on the leaves and stems of your plant.

    6. Snails

    Are you wondering what's eating or chewing your Spider plant leaves?

    Well, it could be the snail issue.

    Snails are known for this particular characteristic, and they do cause significant damage to tender leaves.

    These insects become active during the nighttime. 

    During the day, they hide in damp soil or under a pot.

    Now, let's see what you can do to deal with these issues.

    How To Get Rid Of Spider Plant Pests

    Here's a list of things to do - 

    1. Keep Your Plant Dry All The Time

    Most of the above insects cannot thrive without a damp surface or wet conditions in the soil. If you keep these surfaces dry, it becomes easier to avoid these issues entirely.

    2. Observe Your Plant Regularly

    Yes, do not neglect your plant.

    You should always perform a quick check on the Spider plant every day or every other day. This will give you an idea of any possible issues in the plant, and you will also be able to catch the pests in the early stages.

    3. Get Rid Of The Pests As Quickly As Possible

    If you see snails or whiteflies on the leaves, you can use simple techniques to get rid of them. For snails, you can just pick them up and throw them out of the pot.

    Similarly, you can deal with the whiteflies with a water spray. These are easy-to-fix issues in your plant. Therefore, it's important to address these issues as early as possible.

    4. Prune The Plant Regularly

    Pruning is a great way to keep the moisture in control.

    Of course, there are other benefits of this technique. But, in general, you should prune the Spider plant if there are too many leaves on it.

    5. Keep It In Natural Light

    There is no better place than to keep this plant in natural light.

    When you keep it in sunlight, the plant becomes stronger and grows at a steady rate.

    And if you look at the pest attacks, they only target plants that are weak or under stress in your garden. So, try to follow this helpful suggestion and see how it keeps these things away from your plant.

    6. Use Neem Oil Spray

    Neem oil spray is one of the best tools to deal with such problems in your Spider plant.

    If the plant is suffering from a pest attack, you should quickly prepare a solution of Neem oil and spray it on the affected plant. This will greatly help in removing most of the colonies from the plant.

    But yes, you will need to do this task a couple of times, as you won't be able to get to rid of all the pests in one go.

    Note: This task should only be performed in the early morning or late evening. Do not spray your plant in the middle of the day because it might affect the leaves and stems.

    Furthermore, you should prepare a dilute solution to spray on the plant. Avoid using the concentrated solution to remove the pests.

    Well, these are the things you can do to fix the pest problem in your Spider plant.

    In the following section, you will find the answers to some of the commonly asked questions. Do take a look at this section if you have any similar doubts in your mind.

    FAQs

    1. How Do You Get Rid Of Bugs On Spider Plants?

    There are many ways through which you can get rid of bugs from your Spider plant. The most effective way to do this task is by using insecticides and pesticides on the plant.

    If you prefer using commercial products, there are quite a few products available in the market. You can use these products to address this issue. There are some organic products like Neem oil that can also help keep things under control.

    2. What Are Brown Bumps On My Spider Plant?

    These bumps can occur due to several factors, which include fungus attack, overwatering, and underwatering. You need to confirm any of these possibilities before addressing the issue in your plant.

    3. Can Plants Recover From Spider Mites?

    Yes, the spider mites infestation is not as deadly as some of the other infestations you'd see in your plants. These mites do attack the plants, but they won't cause a lot of damage.

    If your plant is experiencing a similar attack, you don't have to worry too much. Use a miticide, and it should help recover your plant.

    4. How Did My Plant Get Spider Mites?

    Most of the time, indoor plants get mites from a nearby garden. If there are multiple plants infested by this pest, you will surely see all other plants in your home garden getting affected by the same issue.

    However, the intensity of the attack depends on how strong the plants are. If the plant is weak and leaks sap, these mites will make things difficult for such a plant.

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    About Harshad Sawant

    Hello there!

    My name is Harshad, and I'm the gardening expert at IndoorMint.com.

    Gardening is one of my passions, and I enjoy pretty much everything connected to plants.

    I strongly believe in sharing knowledge with everyone, so you'll always find me posting new how-tos and guides on this blog.

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    harshad sawant

    Hi, I'm Harshad, a passionate gardener and the founder of Indoor Mint. Join me as I distill my 15+ years of hands-on gardening experience into valuable guidance right here on this blog.

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