Aphids on Canna plant

I'm very pleased to have grown a Canna plant from seed last year. Since it is still very small (and my polytunnel still coverless) I decided to keep it inside this winter to protect it, so it is living on my living room window sill (East facing). After Christmas I noticed white debris on the leaves and I think it has an aphid infection (possibly spider mite too judging by the webbing :( ). It doesn't look too unhappy considering it is probably getting a bit pot bound now, but I am a bit worried about the pests spreading to my other windowsill plants (some other seedlings, an orchid and a jade plant). I would try and wash the aphids off, but the conical nature of the new leaves make doing this a bit tricky, and I don't want to damage the plant if I can help it. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions for me? At the moment I'm thinking of just leaving it and hoping for the best....

Those sure look like spider mites due to the webs.  I am not sure about aphids though the treatment would probably be the same for either.

A soap solution in a spray bottle.

A quart of warm water, and one teaspoon of dish soap, mix and put in a spray bottle.

I am looking forward to what others might suggest.

Please let us know what works.

Looks like spider mite infestation. Aphids would be more visible. How is the humidity level in your house? Spider mites like drier environment.

I got out my microscope - I'm pretty certain I can see aphids. Maybe there are spider mite as well, but they are well hidden. I think spider mite have eight legs? I count only six on this little baby.


The webs may have come from spiders (big ones); maybe they will eat the aphids for me :)  
It's almost a pity that they seem to be aphids, because spraying the plant with water to increase the humidity (not that my house isn't running damp at the windows anyway!) would be quite easy. I'm slightly worried about how soap may affect the plant. I gather it kills insects by suffocating them.
Given the plant does not seem to be suffering much - it ought to be dormant in winter anyhow! I think I will just leave it till spring. Once it goes outside and starts growing again it may be a bit happier (and more aphid predators have a chance to get them).

That is such a cool video. Thank you for sharing!

Nancy Reading wrote:I got out my microscope - I'm pretty certain I can see aphids.

Wow, is that a video from your microscope? So cool!
I used soap in the past but it was too messy.
Ladybug larvae are very effective, unless on tomato plants; they hated these tiny "hair" on tomato vines. Aphids didn't care!
Adult ladybugs flew away.
I also heard you can get a jumping spider to live on your plant. Their natural territories are rather small so it might not escape a flower pot. But you could also build some kind of enclosure around the plant? Maybe using a thin veil?
I wanted to try as I have fungus gnats in some of my pots, but at this time jumping spiders can only be purchased from hobbyists and they can get quite pricey! Their cuteness factor made them popular for sure.
So I'll probably wait till I can catch one in my garden.
Until then, I'm using yellow sticky traps.

With aphids, I think you can be successful if you just make sure that your plant has enough water (as they suck out the juices) and wait for some tiny predator to appear.
Spider mites are worse, mine arrived with spingtails which I purchased for my terrarium and I never got to separate the two... but if plants and soil are healthier there is more springtails, and if I neglect it - mites dominate... so I just helplessly watch the battle between good guys and bad guys ;)

Flora Eerschay wrote:Wow, is that a video from your microscope? So cool!

Thank you! - it's a little digital microscope for looking at the surface of things like bugs and flowers. Not a huge magnification, or depth of field.It was a present : something similar to this one on Amazon

With aphids, I think you can be successful if you just make sure that your plant has enough water (as they suck out the juices) and wait for some tiny predator to appear.

Yes I think local predators are more likely to be successful than anything I can introduce. Hopefully the plant will make it through till spring and I can move it outside.

Could you do a diatomaceous earth dusting? It should reduce the aphid population quickly and it is relatively harmless. (Don't breath the dust!)

That is my go-to for houseplants with issues followed by a neem oil spray treatment.

Timothy Norton wrote:Could you do a diatomaceous earth dusting?

Oh, there's a thought!
I'm not sure how easy diatomaceous earth is to get hold of in the UK.

....looks.....

found some easily online! I was thinking of trying some on wool as a moth deterrent, so could get some for that as well. Thanks Timothy for the suggestion.