Pest identification
What's eating my fly bush?
Aphids
Signs: Soft-bodied colonies appear on flower stems and woody stem bases (below the resinous upper leaves), sapping new growth.
Control: Dab with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab. Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides — they will kill the Pameridea assassin bugs that the plant depends on.
Scale insects
Signs: Immobile brown or white shells attach to older woody stems, sucking sap and causing yellowing and dieback.
Control: Scrape off manually with a soft toothbrush or toothpick. A very targeted alcohol dab on individual scales is effective without harming the plant's symbiotic partners.
Fungus gnats
Signs: Larvae infest the moist, peat-heavy substrate and chew fine roots, causing wilting and poor establishment.
Control: Use yellow sticky traps for adults. Top-dress with coarse sand. Avoid overwatering — Roridula needs less waterlogging than most carnivorous plants.
Keep fly bush pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Fly Bush pests — FAQ
What is eating my fly bush?
Roridula gorgonias is a resinous South African shrub that traps insects on sticky leaves but cannot digest them directly — it relies on symbiotic assassin bugs. Despite this, aphids infest non-sticky stem bases and new growth. Fungus gnats breed in the moist, acidic substrate. Scale can cling to woody stems. Minimal intervention is best — chemical sprays disrupt the symbiotic insects.
How do I get rid of aphids on fly bush?
Soft-bodied colonies appear on flower stems and woody stem bases (below the resinous upper leaves), sapping new growth. Dab with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab. Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides — they will kill the Pameridea assassin bugs that the plant depends on.
How do I get rid of scale insects on fly bush?
Immobile brown or white shells attach to older woody stems, sucking sap and causing yellowing and dieback. Scrape off manually with a soft toothbrush or toothpick. A very targeted alcohol dab on individual scales is effective without harming the plant's symbiotic partners.
How do I get rid of fungus gnats on fly bush?
Larvae infest the moist, peat-heavy substrate and chew fine roots, causing wilting and poor establishment. Use yellow sticky traps for adults. Top-dress with coarse sand. Avoid overwatering — Roridula needs less waterlogging than most carnivorous plants.