Quick Answers
There are a few common pests that may be eating the leaves of your bird of paradise plant:
- Caterpillars – Bird of paradise is a favorite food source for certain caterpillars like sphinx moth caterpillars.
- Mealybugs – These small sap-sucking insects can infest bird of paradise plants and damage leaves.
- Scale insects – Hard and soft scales attach themselves to leaves and stems, sucking nutrients and causing yellowing.
- Spider mites – Too small to see with the naked eye, these pests cause stippling damage on leaves.
Carefully inspect the undersides of leaves and in leaf axils for any signs of pests. Treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap if an infestation is found. Improving plant care can also make it less susceptible to pests.
Identifying the Pest on Bird of Paradise
Figuring out exactly what is eating your bird of paradise leaves starts with a thorough inspection of the plant and symptoms. Here are some clues to help identify the culprit:
Chewed or Skeletonized Leaves
Leaves that appear ragged, with holes chewed in them or a lacy skeletonization are often the work of caterpillars. Some types of caterpillars that may feed on bird of paradise include:
- Sphinx moth caterpillars – green, chunky caterpillars with horn-like projections.
- Looper caterpillars – smooth, elongated green or brown caterpillars that make loops as they move.
- Queen butterfly caterpillars – spiky black, yellow and white caterpillars.
If you spot a caterpillar chewing on your plant, you can hand pick it off and dispose of it. Use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) if there are large infestations.
Sticky Residue on Leaves
Leaves that are coated in a sticky, shiny residue likely have an infestation of sap-feeding insects like:
- Mealybugs – White, cottony masses in leaf axils.
- Soft scales – Circular, flattened, mushy bumps on leaves.
- Aphids – Green, red or black pear-shaped insects swarming on leaves.
Use a strong stream of water to dislodge these bugs. Follow up with insecticidal soap or neem oil treatments.
Yellowed, Distorted Leaves
If the leaves are yellowing, curling or otherwise distorted, suspect tiny pests like:
- Spider mites – Minuscule pests that cause stippling damage.
- Thrips – Slender, dark winged insects that rasp and feed on leaves.
Spider mites can be controlled with applications of predatory mites or miticides. Thrips can be treated with spinosad, insecticidal soap or neem oil.
White Spots or Bumps on Leaves
Hard scales will appear as small, round, white bumps adhered to leaves and stems. Scrape off scales gently and treat with horticultural oils or insecticidal soap. New leaves may emerge curled and yellowed if scale infestations are severe.
Catching pest problems early makes them easier to treat. Regularly inspect, isolate and quarantine new plants to prevent introduction of pests. Keep bird of paradise plants healthy with proper care to withstand and outgrow minor damage.
Preventing Pests on Bird of Paradise Plants
While even well cared for plants can experience pest problems, there are some preventative actions you can take to minimize risks:
Quarantine New Plants
It’s easy to introduce pests like mealybugs and scales to your existing bird of paradise when bringing home new plants. Keep new plants isolated for a few weeks and inspect thoroughly for signs of pests before introducing them.
Provide Proper Care
A healthy, vigorously growing bird of paradise is less susceptible to most pests. Make sure to meet its light, water, temperature, and humidity needs. Fertilize regularly in the growing season as well.
Promote Air Circulation
Allow for good airflow around bird of paradise plants to prevent pests that prefer humid, stagnant conditions from thriving. Space plants, prune when needed, and use fans if humidity is very high.
Clean Up Debris
Remove fallen leaves, pruned foliage and other plant debris around bird of paradise plants. This eliminates hiding spots, food sources, and breeding grounds for pests.
Monitor for Problems
Inspect plants closely each week for early signs like honeydew, stippling damage, or leaf curling. Catch infestations when they are small and easier to control. Take action quickly if pests are found.
Use Row Covers
Floating row covers can keep moth and butterfly adults from laying eggs on plants. Apply them during times of the year when caterpillars are most active.
How to Get Rid of Pests on Bird of Paradise
If non-chemical prevention methods have failed and pests are confirmed on your bird of paradise, there are some effective organic treatments to control infestations:
Insecticidal Soap
Insecticidal soap sprayed on leaves can kill soft-bodied insects like aphids, thrips, whiteflies, and immature stages of mealybugs and scales. It also dislodges spider mites. Coat leaves thoroughly, including undersides.
Neem Oil
As a natural insecticide and miticide, neem oil is effective for a broad range of common plant pests, especially soft-bodied ones. It coats plants with a residue that deters feeding. Repeat applications every 7-14 days while the infestation persists.
Horticultural Oils
Light horticultural oils smother soft scales, mealybugs, aphids, mites, and eggs of insect pests. For hard scales, scrape off the coverings first. Ensure good plant coverage for optimal results.
Pyrethrin Spray
Derived from chrysanthemums, pyrethrin is a natural insecticide that can quickly knock down populations of aphids, thrips, caterpillars, beetles, and other biting/chewing pests. Use pyrethrin products carefully, as they can harm beneficial insects.
Insect Growth Regulators
IGRs disrupt the molting and growth stages of immature insects, preventing caterpillars, maggots, scales, etc from reaching destructive adult phases. They are very low toxicity to vertebrates.
Always follow label directions when applying any chemical pest control products. Isolate treated plants away from pollinators until sprays have dried. Combine treatments with habitat modifications, proper plant care, and prevention measures for most effective pest management. Monitor regularly to determine if further applications are needed.
Common Pests of Bird of Paradise Plants
Here is more detail on some of the most prevalent pests affecting bird of paradise plants grown as houseplants or in tropical landscapes:
Mealybugs
- Appearance: White, cottony masses in leaf axils, joints, underside of leaves.
- Damage: Sap-sucking causes yellowing, stunting, leaf drop.
- Treatment: Blast off with water, apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.
Scales
- Appearance: Circular bumps along stems and underside of leaves.
- Damage: Weakening and yellowing from sap-feeding.
- Treatment: Scrape off bumps. Apply horticultural oil or neem oil.
Spider Mites
- Appearance: Too small to see, cause yellow stippling on leaves.
- Damage: Sap-sucking leads to browning, drying of leaves.
- Treatment: Spray leaves with strong stream of water. Apply insecticidal soap or predatory mites.
Thrips
- Appearance: Tiny, fringed wing insects in flowers and leaves.
- Damage: Rasping-sucking causes silver scarring on leaves.
- Treatment: Apply spinosad, neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays.
Sphinx Moth Caterpillars
- Appearance: Large green caterpillars with horn-like tail.
- Damage: Voracious leaf feeding and stripping.
- Treatment: Hand pick off plants. Apply Bt or spinosad sprays.
Ensure proper identification before treating pest problems. Understanding the pests’ life cycles and behaviors also helps optimize management strategies. Where possible, use the least toxic controls first.
Preventing and Managing Pests on Bird of Paradise Summary
Here are some key points to remember about preventing and managing pests on bird of paradise plants:
- Inspect plants regularly for early signs of infestation like sticky residues, stippling, or leaf curling.
- Quarantine new plants before introducing to prevent pest spread.
- Promote vigorous growth with optimal light, water, humidity, and nutrition.
- Improve airflow and control humidity levels.
- Clean up leaf litter and prune plants to eliminate pest habitat.
- Apply row covers to exclude moth and butterfly pests.
- Treat with insecticidal soap, neem, horticultural oils or other organic sprays when pests are found.
- Combine chemical and non-chemical treatments for most effective control.
Keeping bird of paradise plants healthy and preventing pest buildup are the best defenses. But even well cared for plants may sometimes require interventions to control infestations. By taking an integrated pest management approach, you can keep problems to a minimum and enjoy the striking blooms and leaves of this tropical plant.