Plant pests · SWFL Pest Identifier
Aphid
Keep an eye on it Fine in small numbers — repeated sightings mean a source.
How to identify it
- Soft green/black/orange specks clustered on new growth
- Curling, sticky leaves
- Ladybugs showing up = nature responding
Size
Tiny (pinhead)
Where you'll see it
Lawn / garden
Looks like
Crawler
Did you know
Aphids are born pregnant — generations telescope inside each other, which is how a clean plant is covered by Friday.
What it means for you
Blast with water, let the ladybugs work; treat only persistent infestations.
Not sure this is your bug?
Text a photo and a licensed local tech will identify it for free — or run it through the interactive identifier.
Similar plant pests in SWFL
Rugose Spiraling Whitefly
Worth a pro lookWhite waxy spirals on palm frond undersides
Mealybug
Keep an eye on itWhite cottony clusters at stem joints and leaf bases
Tea Scale
Keep an eye on itWhite/brown flecking stuck to leaf undersides (camellias, hollies)
Sri Lankan Weevil
Keep an eye on itChalk-white weevil with a short snout
Dealing With This One?
Get a real price online in about 60 seconds — or text us a photo first and we'll tell you honestly whether it even needs treatment.