So I have a cute little aloe vera plant, I just got it like three days ago, but this morning when I went to check on it, there were a lot of little white bugs on it. Some were flying around, but most were on the little leafs. I'm worried that it's a plague and the plant won't survive. I don't know what to do to get rid of them, I only have Raid, but I don't think it's a good idea to spray the plant with it. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of plant pests? Are there any insecticides or something like Raid that I can use?
I would try vinegar. I have used it on my plants before and it seems to be a good deterrent. They may be little nesting gnats that sometimes find cover in a plant and then come out and wreak havoc. Your plant will be good as long as they aren't eating it. Make sure it doesn't grow any fungus or mold and you should be alright. Definitely a good call on not spraying it with raid. Apple vinegar does work best, but if you have just regular, that is sufficient as well.
I think those are aphids because they are the only white pests that inhabit the underneath of leaves. But this is the first time I've heard of aphids pestering aloe vera. The usual habitat of aphids are pepper and tomatoes with their soft leaves that can serve as ideal nesting places. Anyway, you may want to try our home formula. Mix a few drops and liquid dish washing soap with a glass of water and use it to spray the affected area. Mix some more if the area is wide that may need a pail of the mixture. For sure those aphids will evacuate from your plants.
I just finished posting about this in another thread. I had a similar problem recently, although my pests were tiny black specks, instead of white ones. I'm not even sure I'd have noticed if they were white, so kudos to you for seeing them. I mixed up a concoction of water, mild dish soap and white vinegar. I sprayed it on the Mandevillas (two separate plants), and the next day, the pests were gone. I'll follow it up with another dose in a few days. I always keep white vinegar and extra dish soap on hand, and I also use this as a weed killer. It dries out the plants from the inside out, so you can then pull them easily, since they're dead.
