From our perspective, the first sign of an aphid infestation is often a subtle loss of vigor. You may notice your leaves beginning to curl, pucker, or yellow for no apparent reason. Upon closer inspection, you will find these tiny, pear-shaped insects clustered on our succulent new growth, tender stems, and the undersides of leaves. They pierce our tissues with their needle-like mouthparts and drain our vital sap, which is rich in sugars and nutrients. This feeding weakens us significantly, stunting our growth and deforming our once-beautiful blooms. Furthermore, aphids excrete a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew, which coats our foliage and encourages the growth of sooty mold, further blocking sunlight and impeding our photosynthesis.
We find spider mites to be particularly troublesome, especially in hot, dry conditions that stress us. These pests are minuscule, almost invisible to your naked eye, but the damage they inflict is unmistakable. They feed by piercing individual plant cells on the undersides of our leaves, leaving behind a tell-tale stippling of tiny yellow or white dots. As the infestation grows, this stippling can cause entire leaves to turn bronze, yellow, or even drop prematurely. You might not see the mites, but you will likely see the fine, silky webbing they spin for protection on our stems and between our leaf joints. This webbing is a definitive sign that a severe colony is present and we are under immense distress.
If you notice that our developing flower buds are failing to open, or that our petals are emerging streaked with white and prematurely browning, you are likely hosting thrips. These slender, tiny insects rasp the surface of our flower buds and leaves to feed on the exuding sap. This damage results in distorted growth, silvery speckling on our foliage, and a general lack of floral display. Their activity not only mars our aesthetic appeal but can also introduce and spread various plant viruses from one host to another, compounding our health issues.
While the adult fungus gnats are merely an annoyance, buzzing around our soil surface, it is their larvae that cause us direct harm. These tiny, translucent worms live in the upper layers of the soil and feed on our delicate root hairs and organic matter. For young impatiens plants or recently rooted cuttings, this root damage can be severe, leading to poor growth, wilting despite adequate water, and a general failure to thrive. A significant infestation disrupts our ability to uptake water and nutrients, effectively starving us from the roots up.
