If you’ve ever found a tiny bug on one of your succulents, don’t panic. It happens to almost every plant lover eventually, even professional growers like us.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that pests only show up on unhealthy plants or because someone did something wrong. In reality, pests can find their way into your collection in all kinds of ways. They can hitch a ride on a newly purchased plant, come in through an open window, arrive on a bouquet of flowers or organic fruits or even be carried inside on clothing or pets. That’s why even experienced collectors occasionally find an unwanted visitor.

Did you know? Many pests are attracted to new growth and flower stalks because they’re softer and easier to feed on. That’s one reason some succulent growers remove flower stalks once they’ve finished blooming, especially if they’re dealing with recurring pest problems.

Almost every common succulent pest is completely treatable, especially if you catch it early.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are probably the most common succulent pest you’ll encounter. They look like tiny pieces of white cotton tucked between the leaves, around the stem or sometimes even in the roots.

They’re a lot like aphids in the regular garden. They seem to appear out of nowhere and can spread fast if they’re left untreated. Mealybugs eat by sucking the sap from your succulent, which can leave the plant looking wrinkled, weak or slow to grow. They also leave behind a sticky residue called honeydew that can attract mold and ants. 

Treatment -70% isopropyl alcohol. Spray the bugs directly or use a cotton swab to dab each one. Alcohol kills mealybugs on contact. Afterward, rinse the plant with water, especially if it will be sitting in sunlight, since alcohol can sometimes increase the chance of leaf burn and damage if it stays on the plant.

If you have a large outdoor collection or a recurring infestation, using a succulent-safe insecticide can make controlling them easier.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are much harder to see because they’re tiny. 

They look like tiny yellow or tan specks across the leaves or webbing between the leaves and stems. Spider mites thrive in hot, dry conditions and can multiply quickly.

Treatment- Rinse the plant thoroughly, then treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, repeating every 5–7 days until they’re gone.

Thrips

Thrips are thin insects that scrape the top of succulent leaves as they feed on it. Instead of cottony fuzz or webs, they usually leave behind silvery streaks, scars or deformed new growth. Because they’re so small and move quickly, they’re often overlooked until the damage becomes noticeable.

Treatment- Remove damaged areas and treat the entire plant with insecticidal soap or a product labeled for thrips, repeating as directed.

Scale

Scale insects don’t even look like insects. They look like small brown or gray bumps attached to the leaves or stem.. Since they stay in one place, many people think they are part of the plant. Just like mealybugs, they eat on plant sap and can weaken your succulent over time if left untreated.

Treatment-  Remove visible scale with a cotton swab dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol then treat remaining pests with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.

Fungus Gnats

If you’ve ever noticed tiny black flies flying around your pots, they’re probably fungus gnats. The adults are just annoying but their larvae live in wet soil and feed on decaying organic matter.

Treatment- Let the soil dry completely between waterings and use yellow sticky traps for adults; BTI treatments can help control larvae living in the soil.

Prevention Is Always Easier Than Treatment

One of the best habits you can start is quarantining every new plant before adding it to your collection. Keep new arrivals separate for about two weeks and inspect them closely before placing them near your other succulents.

Take a minute every week to look between the leaves, around the stem and underneath the plant. Most pests are much easier to eliminate when you find just a few instead of dozens.

If you grow your succulents outside, a preventative insecticide during its growing season can be a good way to stay ahead of common pests. Inside, just checking your plants regularly is usually enough unless you’ve dealt with recurring infestations.

Remember, finding a bug doesn’t mean you’ve failed as a plant parent. Every grower, from beginners to commercial nurseries, deals with pests from time to time. The difference is knowing what to look for and treating the problem before it has a chance to spread.

At Succly we have a very strict pest prevention protocol. Every plant is treated with a horticultural oil that was recommended by the Department of Agriculture when we were shipping plants internationally. It was one of the approved treatments used to help prevent pests from crossing international borders, which is why we continue to use it as part of our regular pest prevention process.

In addition to our preventative treatments, every plant is individually inspected before it is wrapped and packed. While no nursery can guarantee that a pest will never appear, we take pest prevention very seriously and do everything we can to make sure your plants arrive healthy and in excellent condition.