Plants and pests go hand in hand. They are by no means a match made in heaven; but chances are that if you have plants, they’re going to get some sort of infestation at 1 time or another.
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Both aphids and mealybugs are soft-bodied, sucking insects. They slowly suck the sap out of a plant which over time weakens it, stunts the growth and deforms the flower.
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I’m starting with aphids because they seem to appear out of nowhere in the spring. 1 day you can see 5 of them and 5 days later there seem to be 500. They come in a variety of colors including green, orange, black, brown, white, gray and even pinkish.
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Mealybugs move slower than aphids. They can be found on every part of the plant, even the roots. They especially love to hang out in the nodes and are a common pest of houseplants.
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Release ladybugs or lacewings in your garden as a method of control. Lacewings devour soft-bodied insects much faster than do ladybugs. This obviously isn’t a viable solution for your houseplants!
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This is the method I fall back on. You want to gently blast off the pests & their eggs. The spray in your kitchen or bathroom will be suitable for your houseplants if you don’t have access to a hose outdoors.
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Here’s the way I’ve always made a soap/oil spray: Mix 1 tablespoon mild dish soap or Dr. Bronner’s, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil & 1 cup water. This works on mild infestations.