It’s always nice to get flowers on Valentine’s Day, but your carefully curated bouquet may bring in uninvited guests. By inspecting your flowers when you first receive them and taking a few simple steps before bringing them inside, you can prevent an infestation. Fortunately, most bugs that travel on flowers are relatively harmless. Here are a few examples of bugs that infest flowers and what to do if you see them:
Aphids
Aphids live off leaves and can cause discoloration and distorted shapes. If you notice aphids on your flowers, take them outside for treatment so the bugs will not get into other houseplants. Mix 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp dish soap into 1 cup of water to spray on your flowers. You can also use insecticidal soap or another mild pesticide. Spray stems and both sides of leaves, avoiding the blossoms, then wipe down after 10 minutes with a wet cloth. Check the flowers every day, then repeat treatment if necessary
Thrips
These tiny bugs love brightly-colored flowers. They damage flowers by sucking out the cell contents that create the bright hues, causing the colors to fade. Thrips are harmless to humans, though they do like to taste anything they crawl around on, causing an unpleasant sensation. Mild insecticides like noom oil or insecticidal soap can take care of these pests.
Mites
Some of the most notorious plant bugs, mites turn leaves yellow or brown, causing them to drop from flowers. If your flowers are covered in a stippling pattern, you may have mites. Mostly invisible to the eye, these pests can also attack flower buds, causing them to wilt or die. To kill off these bugs, try mixing 1 tsp of dish soap with a cup of water, or use a solution of 1 part alcohol and 3 parts water. Regularly spraying the plants with water can help prevent an infestation before it starts.
Bug Prevention
When possible, it’s always better to prevent an infestation than to manage one after the fact. Most florists will take steps for you, like refrigerating the flowers ahead of time. However, there are a few different prevention methods if you want to be extra cautious. For a quick, simple solution, shake off your flowers outside, and gently wipe the leaves, stems and blossoms with a soft paintbrush or something similar. If you want to try a more foolproof method, most flowers can withstand being placed in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, which is enough time to take care of most bug problems.
If you find that an infestation has spread from your Valentine’s Day flowers to the rest of your home, our Des Moines pest control experts at Pro-Staff can help. Give us a call at 515-279-7378 or contact us online.
