THRIPS (BLIDDERFOOTS, THUNDERWORMS)
At first, you see silvery-white dots on the leaves and small, black droppings. The insects themselves are transparent white or black and white striped.
Remedy: Ensure the humidity is as high as possible. Blue boards are available from garden retailers.
You can also buy predatory mites (Amblyseius) from specialist retailers.
FUNGUS Gnat Larvae and Fungus Gnats
Small, black flies rise from the soil—often in masses—when you bump into the pot. Incidentally, it's not the flies themselves, but their larvae (juvenile stage) that cause damage in the pot, as they feed on the roots.
Remedy: You can catch the flies with yellow flies. Keep the root ball drier, so they won't lay eggs.
WHITEFLY (WHITEFLY)
When the plant is touched, numerous white insects fly up, often in large numbers.
Remedy: The pests dislike wind and thrive in high temperatures. If the plant doesn't mind, temporarily move it to a drafty and/or cooler location. Yellow sticky tape, which the insects stick to (available from garden centers), is also suitable.
SPIDER MITES
Light spots or speckles on the leaves. With a magnifying glass, you can spot small, eight-legged
which are transparent white. In even more severe infestations, you'll see a spider web—usually from the petiole to the leaf or from the stem to the leaf—in which countless spider mites are found.
Remedy: Increase humidity, rinse the plant with warm water if it can tolerate it. Cut off severely affected leaves and destroy them immediately.
Vine weevils and larvae
The black vine weevil can only be found on plants that are kept outdoors in the summer. You can identify it by the semicircular, sinus-shaped damage on the leaves.
Remedy: The insects are nocturnal, so you can only find and collect them in the dark. If the larvae damage the roots, you'll need to repot the plant in new soil. Make sure to remove all the larvae.
SNAILS
Snails only appear if the plant has been outdoors over the summer. Or they may already be in the pot when purchased.
Remedy: Collecting is still the most effective method.
