Everything you need to know about thrips on Monstera plants and how to get clear of them from the leaves will be covered in this complete guide. Thrips on Monstera are tough garden pests that feed on the sap from the leaves of Monstera plants and grow quickly. They are a common thing.
The lovely and low-maintenance Monstera plant is attacked by these small flying insects, which severely damage the foliage. I highlight the various, even difficult-to-identify causes of these bugs’ appearance along with some short treatments to easily get clear of them.
What Different Factors Thrips on Monstera?
When the temperature is just perfect for them to lay eggs and multiply, when the foliage is dry, when the conditions are just right for them to breed, and when they may hitchhike from another plant to yours are some of the different reasons why thrips may appear on your Monstera plant.
Surrounding Infectious Plants
From where do thrips appear? There is a potential that your Monstera will catch thrips if it is located near a plant that already has an infection.
Thrips can potentially move inside on cut flowers or vegetables that have been brought in from the outside because they are such a common problem in gardens.
Another option is that you brought in newly acquired or purchased houseplants that had thrips hiding on them. They are frequently difficult to see, especially when a thrips infection is just getting started and is still new.
Among the houseplants most vulnerable to thrips infestation include Monstera adansonii or Monstera deliciosa, aroids (including Alocasia, ZZ Plant, and many more), palms, and Calathea.
Also, the bouquets we receive frequently contain thrips that are taken into our houses. Before buying new houseplants, we take care to check them for bugs, but the majority of people never even consider the possibility that a bouquet can be a pest-ridden Trojan horse!
Along with Wind
Despite having wings, thrips cannot fly well and must instead rely on the wind to move through the air. This means they can go through the crevices between window screens or even move on people’s bodies.
Any doors or window screens left open to present a risk of thrips entering the home. After letting your plant spend the summer outside, you face the risk of bringing thrips inside with you.
This is especially true if thrips, which are identical to the spider mites on Monstera, attacked your plant when it was outdoors. Even though finding thrips with your unaided eye can be difficult, it is not impossible.
If you notice moving brown, white, or yellow flecks, you should probably search for thrips. If you have done everything necessary and are still unable to locate it, you can use a magnifying glass to look at the Monstera leaves and soil thrips.
Monstera Plant Leaves as a Food Source
Thrips will create a home on your Monstera plant since they think it is a great food source.
Thrips harm Monstera by eating them, which is analogous to suffocating the plant. One reason why female thrips lay their eggs in plant tissue is that they are notoriously tough to remove because they do not need men to procreate.
Warm Temperature
Thrips will be dormant throughout the colder months. The species’ females begin laying eggs, and they do so in large numbers, once winter is through and spring brings warmer temperatures.
In the event that the temperature is ideal, the hatching process just requires a few days. Thrips eggs can take one to two weeks to develop into adults, and once they are fully grown, they can survive for up to seven weeks.
All of this is significant because it sheds light on why it is so challenging to get rid of them. It is more common in places with warmer climates because they cannot survive our winters.
At the right time of year, the eggs will be visible in the tissue of the leaves. They emerge from their eggs as nymphs after three to five days.
When the foliage of the plants is dusty
The Monstera’s foliage and leaves provide the ideal breeding grounds for pests when they are covered in dust.
Little dark-brown or black patches may form as a result of the 45-day life cycle of thrips, which can also deposit over a dozen eggs during that time. If you notice these dots, it would be wise to search for thrips because you might be dealing with an infestation that has spread to the aerial roots and leaves.
The powdery leaves commonly emerge in an ad hoc way on Monstera plants that have pest issues.
This happens as a result of an unbalanced nutrient intake and a general reduction in the plant’s health. Thrips damage to Monstera can have long-lasting repercussions even after the sickness has been treated.
How Do You Get Rid of Thrips From Monstera?
Make sure to isolate the Monstera plant before using insecticidal soap, making your own DIY pesticide, buying Neem oil, setting up sticky traps around the plant, using a cloth roller, cutting off the infected leaves, or introducing ladybugs.
Because they repeatedly lay eggs in the leaves, which hatch and restart the cycle, thrips are very difficult to get rid of. As a result, you can fight different thrips generations at once!
For this reason, it can require several thrips treatments to completely eradicate them. The best scenario is to catch them early so that you can formulate a strategy as soon as feasible.
To avoid more extensive harm, thrip infestations must be found and treated as soon as feasible. The above list includes the crucial warning indications of a thrip infestation on your Monstera plant.
Although getting rid of the thrips completely may take numerous treatments, if you discover the disease early on, you should be able to do so and save your plant. Browse through the removal methods provided below.
Keep the Plant Separate
If you notice any indications of an infestation, isolate the Monstera plant. Thrips spread like wildfire in a short amount of time because they are light and fly fast to neighboring plant foliage.
To decrease the chance of future spread, segregate the plant from other plant foliage before beginning the eradication measures. Also, separate new and old houseplants before putting them adjacent to one another.
Because pests frequently enter our homes on other plants, keep new plants separate for a week or two to allow for the appearance and resolution of any potential insect problems. It should also go without saying that you shouldn’t buy a plant from the store if it has visible signs of infection or bug damage.
Thrips infestation and injury to leaves will prevent them from healing and cause long-term damage. Spots and discoloration won’t fade away; instead, they just become worse until the foliage is covered in numerous patches and degradation. The best you can expect is wilting or drooping leaves to revive.
Manual Methods
An effort to manually eliminate the insects could be done if your infestation isn’t bad and you were able to notice their presence fairly early.
Cut off any damaged areas as soon as possible and toss them far from the rest of your garden’s plants. Sometimes, after you remove the thrips from your plant, small eggs may still be hidden.
The best method for getting rid of thrips involves a variety of tactics, including getting rid of adults and stopping the emergence of eggs.
If necessary, use a magnifying glass to get a closer look, shake the leaf briskly, and place a white piece of paper underneath the plant you think may have a thrips infestation. A few insects will land on the paper and start to stand out more.
Apply insecticide soap
This can be purchased online, at stores that offer gardening supplies, or you can even manufacture your own! Every insecticide you purchase from the store needs to be diluted in accordance with the label’s instructions. Because of concern for your safety, take care not to overdilute or use it concentrated.
Before spraying the entire plant, test the thrips Monstera pesticide on a small leaf or another area to make sure there are no side effects.
Wait a full day after that before spraying the insecticide all over the plant, and then double-check the region you first examined. Instead of soaking the plant, spray the top and bottom of the leaves and stems. Every 4 to 7 days, repeat this process until the thrips are gone.
Natural Pest Control Formula
But how can you get rid of thrips on Monstera naturally, especially if you don’t like using artificial chemical remedies that are readily available in shops? Thrips can be treated naturally in a number of ways, including by creating pesticides and introducing natural predators.
Although there are alternative homemade pesticide options, a soap-and-water treatment is a well-liked and uncomplicated one. This simple DIY pesticide can be made by mixing one quart of water with 1.5 teaspoons of mild dishwashing liquid detergent. The mixture should then be applied right away.
Again, it’s wise to test it on a little piece of your Monstera to make sure it won’t scorch or suffer from any other negative consequences. Because the soapy pesticide is only effective when it is moist, spray it early in the day or late at night.
It can dry up before it causes any substantial harm to your plant’s leaves if you apply it during the hottest portion of the day. Repeat this process every 4 to 7 days until you see no more thrips and your plant’s condition stabilizes.
The Neem Oil
Neem oil, yet another organic treatment for plants, is a typical treatment for pest infestations! If you wish to boost effectiveness but find the smell to be too strong, you can also add a little liquid soap.
Before continuing, dilute the neem oil according to the directions on the container; once done, spray the liquid on the plant and allow it to dry. Also, this is a fantastic strategy to ensure that thrips never, ever become out of control.
It would be wise to test your mixture on a small area of the plant before spraying the entire thing, to reiterate.
Neem oil does have a slightly strange smell that goes away as it dries, so if you can, do this outside (only if your Monstera is protected from the elements) or in the garage.
Neem oil only successfully kills pests when they are damp, therefore applying the spray earlier in the morning or later in the day is better than doing so during the hottest, brightest part of the day (much like insecticide).
Blue, Yellow, or White Sticky Trap
Thrips are drawn to the hues of white, blue, and yellow. You can thus set traps and take advantage of this! These traps are easily accessible online and in garden supply stores.
Nevertheless, you may make your own by coating a piece of blue, yellow, or white paper with honey (or another sticky substance that will stay sticky) and pinning it next to your plant. Sticky notes are also useful in a pinch!
Linen Roller
Waiting patiently for the thrips to fall into your sticky traps is only occasionally achievable. With a lint roller, you can bring the sticky trap to them.
To get rid of thrips, lightly roll the lint roller over a Monstera leaf while holding it flat in your palm. The stems may also require close inspection in addition to each leaf’s top and bottom surfaces.
If your infestation is serious and you anticipate losing a lot of leaves, take into account reproducing the healthy leaves and starting with a healthy young plant.
Allow the ladybugs in.
Ladybugs will enjoy your thrips as a snack! When you release ladybugs you bought online into the potting mix of your Monstera plant, they will immediately start to feast on the thrips there.
It’s likely that the ladybugs will go from your Monstera to other indoor plants and areas of the house, which can be quite beneficial.
This could be a great alternative if you don’t mind having some cute insect friends around. Ladybugs are completely safe. This could also be used to treat Monstera for scale, spider mites, whiteflies, fungus gnats, and caterpillars.
Pruning Damaged Leaves
If a thrips infection is advanced, it may be advisable to clip off the affected leaves. This will get rid of mature thrips clinging to those leaves and eggs still in the hatching process.
By removing damaged leaves, your Monstera will put more effort into repairing the existing leaves and producing new growth. To do this, wash a pair of scissors or shears with alcohol or hot, soapy water.
You may also wish to wear gloves because the sap from your Monstera can irritate your skin. The lint roller method may help get rid of all the thrips from the leaves.
In order to prevent insects from landing on lower leaves or the ground, carefully trim the stems of the desired leaves after that. You can clip off the sick leaf parts if your goal in pruning is more for aesthetics and healing than for eradicating the infestation.
Applying Leaf Shine
A light and frequent application of Leaf Shine can deter pests, dust, debris, fungi, and pathogens. It also feeds the leaves, improving their toughness, adaptability, and resistance to environmental stresses.
Not to add, it imparts a wonderful glossy finish to your Monstera leaves! But, never abuse leaf shine as it may obstruct the stomata on the leaves; as a result, be cautious before using this product on your Monstera.
Eliminate Weed Growth in the Soil
As they frequently say, prevention is preferable to treatment. Weeds are a friendly environment for thrips because they provide them with food, cover, and hiding places. Weeds can grow and flourish practically everywhere, including on your Monstera plant, which makes them a nuisance.
You should treat your Monstera plant with a 20-20 liquid fertilizer after getting rid of the weeds. Your Monstera plant’s health will be supported by this multipurpose fertilizer and plant food.
