What are these small white bugs? I always wanted a pretty garden with lots of greenery and flowers. My dream came true when I moved from my tiny one-bedroom apartment to a small holding outside the city.
Now I could plant and learn and see the growth.
I thought everything was going well until that one day when I wondered what the heck are those small white bugs on my plants and soil? And more important than ever, how can I get rid of them quickly?
I called my local nursery and described the kind of bug I was seeing. It turns out there are various white creatures that can infect your plants.
Here’s a list of the small white bugs you can find in your garden and how to eliminate them.
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Small White Bugs
If you see small white bugs on your plants or soil, it can be a variety of bugs like white soil mites, white spider mites, root aphids, grubs, mealybugs, springtails, or whiteflies. Most of these bugs are harmful and can cause your plant to turn yellow, wilt, and die.
Types of Small White Bugs On Plants and How to Get Rid of Them
There are a variety of small white bugs that can infest your plants and/or soil.
Identifying what bug it is isn’t easy. I’ll discuss the most popular kinds of white bugs that are small and how to get rid of them here:
1: White Soil Mites
White soil mites are small, and you may not even notice them. The size of a pinhead, you can find these soil mites on the soil’s top few inches.
They are harmless to your plants and break down fungi and algae in the soil for plants to easily absorb their nutrients. However, your soil can become unsightly, especially if these soil mites make their home in your houseplant.
To get rid of white soil mites:
- Remove any dead plant matter.
- Spray your plant with water.
- Use a homemade natural pesticide from dish soap, vinegar, neem oil, cinnamon, or garlic.
- Place yellow sticky tape around your plant as this attracts the soil mites.
2: White Spider Mites
Related to spiders, spider mites are sap-sucking insects that measure 1/50 of an inch and they produce a silken thread that forms cobwebs on your plants.
There’s a variety of spider mites, and while some are white, they can also be dark green, light green, orange, or red. These bugs infest blueberries, azaleas, roses, strawberries, and other plants.
To get rid of spider mites:
- Blast the plant leaves with water to dislodge these bugs.
- Use a miticide to reduce the spider mite population or treat your plants with a soap spray.
3: Mealybugs
Another sap-sucking insect, mealybugs are small segmented insects that measure 1/20 to 1/5 of an inch. They have a white coating that looks like wax.
You can find mealybugs on sheaves, leaf axils, between fruits, and twining stems. They prefer ficus, cacti, succulents, orchids, jade plants, begonias, and other plants.
A small infestation doesn’t do a lot of damage to your plant, but a large infestation weakens and kills the plant.
- Remove them manually by swabbing them with a rubbing alcohol-soaked cotton swab.
- Use oil spray or insecticidal soap.
4: Springtails
Springtails are generally gray or yellow; however, they may look whiteish on your plant, so I included them in this list.
Springtails have tails that look like a fork, and they can jump high.
Your plants are technically safe if there are springtails in the soil since these bugs live off dead plant debris and mold. They like moist environments, and they breed very fast.
To rid your garden of springtails:
- Spray vinegar onto the springtails.
- You can also treat your soil and plant with a homemade insecticide like neem or cedar oil.
5: Grubs
Grubs are beetle larvae and they eat roots and organic matter that can be found in the soil.
Since these damage plant roots, they should be removed quickly.
To get rid of grubs:
- Get nematodes, which will kill the grubs.
- Change how you water your plants. Ensure the soil is thoroughly dry before you water.
- Use an insecticide like neem oil or mix one-quart water with a tablespoon of liquid dish soap.
6: Whiteflies
Whiteflies are small insects with wings that look like moths. They are tiny, measuring 1/16 of an inch (1.6mm).
Whiteflies love chrysanthemums, fuchsia, geraniums, begonias, hibiscus, and various veggie plants. Once they’ve set up camp among your plants, they suck the sap.
You can find these insects on the leaves underside. These leaves will turn yellow, wilt, and drop prematurely.
- Use plastic mulch as a protective measure.
- Place sticky pads near your plants to trap the whiteflies.
- If there is a whitefly infestation, spray your plants with a high-pressure hose and an insecticide.
7: Root Aphids
Root aphids are often confused with mealybugs; however, these bugs are smaller. They have tailpipes and are pear-shaped.
These aphids are found in plant roots, and since these bugs feed on the roots, your plant can wilt, yellow, or die.
To get rid of root aphids:
- Isolate the infested plant.
- Repot your plant. Ensure you use new soil and sanitize your equipment before transplanting.
Frequently Asked Questions about Small White Bugs
Are white soil mites harmful to humans?
White soil mites are harmful to humans. They are carriers of bacteria that can be transmitted to people and cause diseases. They could carry parasite eggs like those of tapeworms, and if you’ve been infected, you’ll need to see your doctor for treatment to get rid of the tapeworms.
What do you call the white bugs looking like lint?
Various white bugs look like lint. These include mealybugs, woolly aphids, and whiteflies.
Are small white bugs on plants a cause to worry?
Whenever you spot small white bugs on your indoor or outdoor plants you need to act immediately. Take a magnifiying glass and identify what they are. Use neem oil as well as insecticide to get rid of th pests. If the infestation is bad, use a systemic insecticide.
The Final Bug
I had a big infestation of mealybugs. They sapped my plant leaves until they were yellow because I didn’t notice the infestation soon enough.
To get rid of these small white bugs, I thoroughly sprayed my plant with neem oil, and the mealybugs died.
Now I regularly check on my plants, so I’ll only have a small infestation to deal with next time.
The small white bugs in your garden are:
- White spider mites
- Root aphids
- Grubs
- Mealybugs
- Springtails
- Whiteflies
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.