Detect whitefly: If you shake the leaves of your plant a little, you can spot them best. They fall down and start to fly away. Their appearance is similar to that of moths and they are about 1mm long. They usually attack the weakest plant first, working their way down from the top. They usually lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves.
Damage: The white fly damages the plant and its leaves by sucking. Similar to the infestation of spider mites, the leaf gets a silvery sheen. The more extensive the damage, the more the growth of the plant is restricted.
Measures: There is a particular enemy of the whitefly, namely the ichneumon fly. This type of wasp does not sting humans, but attacks whiteflies. As the ichneumon wasp is smaller than the whitefly, it may take a little time for it to fight the whitefly. You can also use a spray solution of soapy water or Neem oil and spray the entire underside of the leaves with it. If possible, chemical pesticides should be avoided. In the case of whitefly, biological agents can also be used to get the problem under control.
Fungus gnat
Recognise the fungus gnat: Their larvae are about 4-5mm long and usually have a transparent body with a black head. Adult fungus gnats are about 2-4mm long and have a greyish black colour. Adult females can lay around 200 eggs in 7-10 days.
Damage: Fungus gnats mostly attack the roots just below the soil surface. They feed on the fine roots and also mutilate larger roots. The attacked root is then naturally also susceptible to fungal attack. Their larvae love rotting plant tissue. The fungus gnats stick to the mature buds like flypaper.
Measures: Keep the relative humidity lower and do not water as much. Make sure that the medium is not too wet. In addition, yellow traps should be set up. Use neem or insecticidal soap and soak the medium well with the solution.
