Question
QUESTION: HI, I have a potted pink daisy in my family room, but I noticed that it is covered in these tiny,tiny....pin head sized bugs. They are on the leaves and the under side of the leaves and all over the flowers. Is there a way to get rid of them?????

ANSWER: Dear Blair,

Your description would appear to be red spider mite which as you say are very very tiny.  They suck the sap from the leaves and stalks.  Frankly if I had a plant as infested as you describe I would have no hesitation in throwing it away before it affected other plants.

However if you want to try to rid the plant of them then you should buy an insecticide which contains either derris or malathion but really this should have been sprayed on when the first insects appeared.

Blair, cut your losses, throw it away and start again.

Diana



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Diana...but they are actually white and I think that they might be moths....is that possible?? how do I get rid of them...or should I still throw it out??

Answer
Hello Blair,

Since they are white they are likely to be whitefly - I know that sounds obvious but that is their actual name!

They suck the sap just the same as the red spider mite and leave a sticky substance called honeydew.  Yes you can spray an insecticide all over the plant and under the leaves but my gut feeling is to throw away the plant as the insects can spread to other plants very rapidly.  If you choose to spray then you should do so at three day intervals. Isolate your plant whilst it is being treated.

Good luck!

Diana