Question
Dear Will,

I was trying to find out about some little white bugs in my house plant and I came across this answer written by you; 9/12/2004 Little white bugs in my jade plant.

I am sure the little bugs I have are not harming my plant and infact, as I have two plants exactly the same I can say that the plant WITH the bugs seems to be fairing much better. I first noticed the bugs which are very small 1mm or 2mm, only in the soil and wiggle (they move a lot upon watering the plant) about 2 months ago. And I have moved the plants to see if it was situation that was affecting the less cheery plant. I don't believe it is. Anyway what I am asking is;

a) Could these bugs potentially be helpful to my plant and its soil?

b) Could these bugs potentially be harmful to myself, pets or children and therefore would it be best to get rid of them either way?

I would be grateful for your advice!
Charlotte.

Answer
Hi Charlotte,

It is hard to say exactly what critters you are seeing in the soil. However, the fact that your plants are healthy and you didn't mention seeing any larger bugs or flying gnats tells me that the soil-borne insects are harmless to you, your family and your pets. But there is no reason to think they are beneficial to your plants either. There are many beneficial organisms in soil, but they are all invisible to the naked eye.

That said, I will make a couple of suggestions for deterring these creatures. If they appear to move about on legs, then try submerging the pot up to its rim in plain water for about 45 minutes. The flooding will cause the critters to rise to the surface in search of oxygen. If the bugs appear to move by swimming in water around the soil particles, then scrape off all loose soil from the surface and allow the soil to dry out deeper into the pot in between waterings. This will deprive the larvae of the moisture they require to survive.

Soil-borne insects are not usually found when using good horticultural practices. That means the potting mix should be soil-less and composed primarily of peat moss with no garden soil or compost. In addition, no food or beverages other than plain water should be used to water your plants.

I have written an article on plant pest problems that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com