Pest identification
What's eating my queen anthurium?
Thrips
Signs: Silvery-bronze streaks or papery scarring on the long velvety leaves; thrips visible under a loupe
Control: Isolate immediately; remove scarred leaves; apply spinosad or neem oil every 5 days for three rounds
Spider mites
Signs: Fine bronze stippling across leaf faces; webbing on undersides; leaves lose texture and color in low humidity
Control: Maintain humidity above 70%; wipe leaf surfaces; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly
Mealybugs
Signs: Waxy white colonies at petiole junctions; honeydew; slow new leaf production
Control: Dab with alcohol swabs; drench soil and spray foliage with diluted neem oil; repeat every 10 days
Keep queen anthurium pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Queen Anthurium pests — FAQ
What is eating my queen anthurium?
Queen Anthurium's enormous velvety leaves make thrips and spider mite damage especially visible and costly. Both scar the decorative surface permanently. Mealybugs colonize petiole bases. This species demands high humidity to stay healthy, and low humidity creates the exact conditions spider mites prefer.
How do I get rid of thrips on queen anthurium?
Silvery-bronze streaks or papery scarring on the long velvety leaves; thrips visible under a loupe Isolate immediately; remove scarred leaves; apply spinosad or neem oil every 5 days for three rounds
How do I get rid of spider mites on queen anthurium?
Fine bronze stippling across leaf faces; webbing on undersides; leaves lose texture and color in low humidity Maintain humidity above 70%; wipe leaf surfaces; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly
How do I get rid of mealybugs on queen anthurium?
Waxy white colonies at petiole junctions; honeydew; slow new leaf production Dab with alcohol swabs; drench soil and spray foliage with diluted neem oil; repeat every 10 days