Houseplants that spent the summer outside are now all tucked inside the house. These house plants are probably looking really good because you had them out in the sun all summer. But when they come in there maybe something that's hitching a ride.
Aphids, mealy bugs, and all kinds of insects are also coming in, so there's some work to do with your houseplants to keep the bugs away. First of all, you can use different kinds of sprays on to kill the pests. I'd suggest taking the plants outside on a warm day, spraying them and bringing them back in.
You can also treat for individual bugs, such as the mealy bug. Using isopropyl rubbing alcohol and a Q-tip just dab the mealy bugs here and there and that will actually kill them.
Or you can do something new; use beneficial insects. There are some insects that are actually good to have in your house. Yes, they attack and kill the bad bugs. One of my favorites is called the mealy bug destroyer! It's a little beetle that will actually go after any mealy bugs on your plant and eat it. Just sprinkle them on the plant and they just munch away. However, they won't go crazy and be everywhere. Most beneficial insects survive only as long as there are pests to eat and then they die off.
There's more. An easy way to get rid of white flies is to use these little bug tags. You just hang these little tags on the plant and there is a little wasp eggs in there. They hatch, get released, and parasitize the white flies.
So, if you have a green house or many house plants, beneficial insects are a great way to keep all of those bad bugs at bay.
By Charlie Nardozzi
