Aphids appear to get into every garden one way or the other. If you’ve had a home garden for a while, you’ve probably heard of these small pests. These are soft-bodied bugs that get their food by sucking the nutrient-rich liquids from plants.
There are about 4,000 different species of aphids around the world. Low to moderate populations rarely need to be controlled and typically do not harm plants.
They can seriously weaken plants in large enough numbers, damaging flowers and fruit. Severe infestations will also cause leaves to curl, wilt, or yellow and will impede plant growth.
It is crucial to control aphids before they begin reproducing, as they multiply rapidly. In one season, many generations can happen. But don’t worry too much about that; aphids are pests that move slowly and can be controlled with consistent work.
Early treatment, before they have an opportunity to breed, can significantly improve aphid control. Aphids regularly spread plant viruses from one plant to another, which kills crops like different types of citrus, potatoes, and even grains.
Read on to find out how to get rid of aphids effectively in your home gardens. This guide covers everything you’ll need to do this regularly, without all the trouble!
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed by piercing and sucking fluids from plants. They can eat stems, leaves, and other soft plant parts because their mouths are long and thin.
They secrete a sticky liquid known as honeydew, which attracts ants. Seeing an ant trail is a common way to check for aphids because it can help you figure out which plants may be infected.
Ants have also been observed protecting aphids from natural predators. Some from even been found herding them into tight colonies to facilitate honeydew harvesting.
Unfortunately, honeydew also provides an ideal habitat for the growth and spread of sooty mold. Cars and lawn furniture that are under-infested trees will also be covered with this sticky fluid.
In colder places, aphids spend the winter as eggs and come out in the spring as adults. In warmer places, they can be a problem all year.
As a homeowner, discovering tiny green bugs in your house can be annoying and a little unsettling. While some tiny green insects are harmless, others can cause damage to your home, possessions, and even your health. This comprehensive guide will help you identify, prevent, and get rid of tiny green bugs in the most effective ways.
What Are Tiny Green Bugs?
Tiny green bugs that infiltrate homes fall into one of three categories
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Aphids: These soft-bodied pear-shaped bugs measure 1-10mm long. They congregate on stems and undersides of leaves, sucking sap from plants. Common houseplant aphids are green but also come in black, white, red, and pink.
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Leafhoppers: Wedge-shaped bugs measuring 3-15mm long with hind legs suited for jumping. Leafhoppers cause minimal damage, just hopping to lights at night. Leafhopper species are green, brown or a mix.
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Thrips: Slender with fringed wings, thrips measure 1-2mm long. They rasp and suck fluids from leaves and flowers leaving discolored blotches. Common greenhouse thrips are bright green but can be yellow, dark brown or black.
Where Do They Come From?
Tiny green bugs can infiltrate your home from either indoors or outdoors
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Indoors: Houseplant pests like aphids reproduce rapidly, migrating between houseplants before establishing colonies. Bringing new infested plants indoors spreads bugs.
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Outdoors: Leafhoppers blown inside on the wind are drawn to lights at night. Thrips from flowers and vegetables in your garden can be carried indoors on your clothes.
Greenhouse thrips and leafhoppers migrate far, invading homes without nearby greenery. But aphids spread via connected plant life like hedgerows.
Preventing Tiny Green Bug Infestations
Preventing tiny green bugs from infiltrating your home is more effective than eliminating existing infestations. Here are great prevention tips:
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Inspect new plants thoroughly before bringing them indoors. Quarantine new plants for 1-2 weeks.
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Check houseplants regularly, especially under leaves for bugs. Isolate infested plants immediately.
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Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil to houseplants preventatively every 2-3 weeks.
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Seal cracks around doors, windows and utility lines where bugs enter from outside.
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Use bug zappers and fly screens to prevent migration indoors.
Keeping houseplants healthy with adequate sunlight, water and fertilizer makes them more resistant to pests. Maintaining cleanliness indoors and in your yard also discourages infestations.
How to Get Rid of Tiny Green Bugs
If tiny green bugs infiltrate your home, here are effective removal methods:
Non-Chemical Techniques
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Shower houseplants with a strong jet of water to dislodge bugs, especially under leaves.
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Apply rubbing alcohol to bugs using a cotton swab for isolated infestations. Avoid contact with plant leaves.
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Sticky traps near plants capture green bugs flying indoors but won’t contain infestations alone.
Natural Insecticides
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Insecticidal soap sprays smother soft-bodied green bugs like aphids. Reapply every 5-7 days.
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Neem oil kills green bugs on contact and as a preventative. Spray plants thoroughly including undersides of leaves every 7-14 days.
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Pyrethrin sprays derived from chrysanthemum flowers kill most tiny green bugs. Reapply weekly.
Chemical Insecticides
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Systemic insecticides containing Imidacloprid are absorbed by plants, destroying bugs ingesting leaves. Not organic.
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Contact insecticides with Malathion kill green bugs on touch, but can harm beneficial insects. Use cautiously indoors.
No matter the method, thoroughly treat infested plants including leaves, stems and soil to eliminate all tiny green bugs and eggs. Discard heavily infested plants if bugs persist after multiple treatments. Keep treating plants preventatively even after bugs are gone to prevent recurring infestations.
When to Call a Professional Exterminator
If you are unable to eradicate tiny green bugs yourself or identify unknown species, call a professional exterminator. Green bugs like aphids reproduce rapidly, so early intervention by experts improves success removing infestations. Professionals have access to strong chemical treatments that require proper handling and application. They also know how to target effective treatments for different tiny green bugs species while avoiding harm to humans, pets and beneficial garden insects.
Tiny Green Bug FAQs
Are tiny green bugs harmful to humans?
Most tiny green bugs like aphids, leafhoppers and thrips don’t bite or sting humans. But some people have allergic reactions to the substances emitted by squashed bugs. A few species can transmit plant diseases to garden crops.
What attracts tiny green bugs into homes?
Houseplant pests like aphids seek soft, tender growth to infest. Leafhoppers and thrips migrate inside via small openings seeking warmth and light. Flying to illuminated windows and lights draws them inside at night when outdoor temperatures drop.
Will tiny green bugs infest my home?
Some species like greenhouse thrips only inhabit gardens and won’t multiply indoors. But aphids reproduce rapidly on houseplants, spreading quickly from plant to plant. Getting rid of infested plants and preventing new bugs from entering keeps homes free of infestations.
How do I keep tiny green bugs off my houseplants?
Keep houseplants healthy and stress-free to fend off pests. Apply preventative insecticidal soap or neem oil treatments regularly. Remove heavily infested plants immediately before bugs spread. And isolate new plants before introducing to your existing indoor garden.
How To Do Effective Aphid Control
Aphid control at home doesn’t need to be difficult. Here’s everything you should do for effective aphid control easily in your yard:
First things first, start by pinching or pruning off heavily infested leaves or other plant parts. This will assist you in controlling the problem while you use other measures explained here.
Next, use a product like Bug Blaster to spray plants with a strong stream of water to get rid of pests.
You can buy beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings and lacewing larvae, lady beetles, and parasitic wasps. These insects are important natural predators and can help a lot with getting rid of aphids.
For best results, make releases when pest levels are low to medium. If there are a lot of aphids, use a natural pesticide that isn’t too harmful and doesn’t last long to get rid of them. Then, let predatory insects take over to keep them under control.
What Kind of Damage Do Aphids Cause?
Aphids cluster together and quickly reproduce once they have colonized their selected host plant. Like other sap-sucking insects, aphids use their mouthparts to pierce plant leaves and stems. This drains the plant of its sap, nutrients, and water.
Adults and nymphs consume plant juices. Depending on the species, they attack leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruit, and even the roots of the plant.
Aphids are particularly attracted to fresh, new growth. Some aphid species, like the green peach aphid, eat a wide range of plants, while others, like the rosy apple aphid, are very picky about the plants they eat.
The younger the plant, the more vulnerable it is to long-term damage. As some types of aphids feed on plants, they inject a poison into the plant. This makes it grow more slowly and causes more leaf curl and discoloration. They not only feed on different parts of the plant, but they also make honeydew, a sticky, gooey fluid.
Sooty mold is a fungus that can sometimes be caused by honeydew. It makes branches and leaves look black. They unfortunately also spread viruses and diseases from one plant to another.
Aphids that feed on flowers or fruit can cause them to become warped or misshapen. On roots or leaves, certain aphid species induce galls to develop.