It’s a gardener’s worst nightmare. Insects, bugs, and pests. Your houseplants’ health might be drastically affected by an infestation. In this post, I’ll show you how to identify common jade plant pests and how to cure them efficiently.
Jade plant pests and illnesses are a widespread concern that may be a pain for anybody who comes into contact with them. Jade plant bugs, on the other hand, don’t have to spell the end for your succulent! They are completely curable and will only cause minor health complications if identified early enough.
Mealybugs, spider mites, and aphids are the most frequent jade plant bugs you’ll come across. I go through each pest in further depth below, as well as how to permanently eradicate them from your house!
Jade Plant Bugs Are Common
Mealybugs
If you’ve observed white bugs on your jade plant, it’s almost certainly a mealybug infestation! I’m sure you’ve heard of these vexing annoyances. Succulents and pretty much any other indoor plant are favorites, but what precisely are they? And how do mealybugs appear?
What Are Mealybugs, Exactly?
Mealybugs are microscopic pests that feed on the sap from the leaves of jade plants and develop as they age. They’re so little that even one won’t be recognized. Mealybugs, on the other hand, are constantly in colonies, and you’ll notice a white, cottony look on your plant if you have an infestation. You’ll also see your jade plant’s leaves become yellow, then black.
These white bugs on a jade plant are a nightmare to identify since they look like fungus or mildew. If you believe you have a mealybug infestation, you need to act swiftly to eliminate them from your house since they spread like wildfire. Remove your contaminated plant from the rest of your houseplants as soon as possible.
Mealybugs are also masters at concealing all of a plant’s nooks and crevices. This might be under the leaves or where the leaves meet the stem on a jade plant. To avoid a full-fledged pandemic, make sure you examine your succulent and cactus plants on a frequent basis.
No one understands why mealybugs appear, but there is a clear link between an overwatered jade plant and insect infestations, so make sure you’re following the proper watering schedule.
Mealybugs: How to Get Rid of Them
Mealybugs can be eradicated by a variety of methods. Pesticides are the most common treatment for mealybugs, and you’ll want to use a 70% or less isopropyl solution.
Rubbing alcohol is inexpensive and available practically any place, but I like to use MaxTite Isopropyl Alcohol 70% because it is both affordable and effective.
Using a spray bottle makes the procedure a lot easier for me as well.
You should always follow the recommendations on the container. However, to avoid leaf burn, I would always recommend diluting the isopropyl with water.
The procedure is straightforward: after diluting the rubbing alcohol, simply spray it on your jade plant. Make sure you get into all of the hard-to-reach places since this is where mealybugs tend to congregate.
If you catch the infestation early enough, a single round of treatment should suffice. If not, the mealybugs will resurface in 2-3 days, at which point you may re-spray your succulent.
This method can be repeated every few days until the mealybugs are completely gone! The good news is that rubbing alcohol is perfectly safe for succulents and will not harm your houseplant.
Spider mites
Spider mites are the next jade plant-insect on our list! Yuck! These pesky bugs are abundant in South America and may do a lot of damage to your crassula plants. They are arachnids, which are related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions.
What are spider mites, and how can you get rid of them?
Spider mites are small red/brown bugs that feed on the fluids and nutrients of jade plants. They live in colonies and, like mealybugs, can go undetected for long periods of time. Because of their appearance and small size, spider mites can often be mistaken for dirt or dust or even for the fact that your jade plant is turning red! However, if your jade plant begins to shed leaves, you may have an infestation on your hands.
Spider mites will continue to proliferate if you ignore them, and you’ll ultimately have to cope with a dying jade plant.
Spider mites flourish in the same hot, dry circumstances that succulents do. This is why the jade plant-insect is so common.
What is the best way to get rid of spider mites?
Unfortunately, if you have a spider mite infestation, you will have to deal with it for the rest of your life. These annoyances are hard to get rid of, and it will take some time. However, with the appropriate materials and techniques, you may save your beautiful succulent plant.
Neem oil is the most common and successful way to get rid of spider mites on a jade plant. This is a popular, non-toxic product that almost every gardener recommends! It is a potent insecticidal oil derived from the tree Azadirachta indica, a South Asian and Indian plant that will remove spider mites.
The pesticide neem oil is used as a soil drench. This essentially implies that the oil will be absorbed by your jade plant. When the spider mites begin to eat, the neem oil’s components induce the bugs to stop feeding, preventing the larvae from growing.
I prefer Kate Blanc’s Neem Oil since it’s inexpensive and comes in a container with a pipette, making application much easier. This specific make may be used on your hair, skin, and nails, and one bottle can last you months!
The method is straightforward once you have your neem oil, although it might be unpleasant and sticky. The neem oil should be applied directly to the spider mites. You’ll want to be thorough since these bugs lurk in all the nooks and crannies. I recommend wrapping the bottom of your jade plant with plastic wrap and rotating it over to ensure that the neem oil is well applied below the leaves.
This method should be repeated every 2-3 days until the infestation has been totally eradicated.
Aphids
Aphids are another pesky jade plant pest. Greenfly and blackfly are two frequent names for these insects. Aphids are a problem for succulent lovers because they may spread plant viruses, cause stump development, and exude a sticky honeydew fluid from which sooty mold can form. If you have an aphid infestation, you’ll want to get rid of them as soon as possible.
What exactly are aphids?
Aphids are sap-sucking insects related to mealybugs and spider mites. They’ll eat your jade plant, sucking off all of the beneficial liquids and minerals. Aphids are simpler to identify since they are slightly bigger than the other pests, ranging in size from 1mm to 7mm.
Although they are generally referred to as greenflies or blackflies, the species can be yellow, pink, or white in appearance. Some aphid species have a white waxy secretion that they use to protect themselves. This is inconvenient since they are frequently mistaken for mealybugs or scale insects!
Furthermore, aphids feed on the roots of your indoor plants, and if left untreated, your jade plant will perish.
Whether you live in a colony, you can typically determine if you have aphids since they are apparent to the naked eye. Other signs include wilting leaves and a sticky honeydew substance. Because ants are drawn to the honeydew created by these pests, aphids is a good diagnosis if you find ants loitering around your plant.