Pest identification
What's eating my pothos?
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony masses in stem nodes and leaf axils; sticky residue and yellowing leaves.
Control: Isolate the plant, dab with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs, and spray neem oil weekly for three to four weeks.
Scale insects
Signs: Hard or soft bumps on stems; leaves yellow and vines look limp despite adequate watering.
Control: Scrape off manually, then treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap spray; repeat in 10 days.
Spider mites
Signs: Yellow stippling on leaves and fine webbing, most obvious in heated, low-humidity rooms in winter.
Control: Shower the plant to dislodge mites, raise humidity, and apply neem oil or insecticidal soap every week for a month.
Fungus gnats
Signs: Root damage from larvae causes sudden wilting; adults hover around moist soil.
Control: Allow the top 5 cm (2 in) of soil to dry before watering; use yellow sticky traps and Bti drench to eliminate larvae.
Keep pothos pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Pothos pests — FAQ
What is eating my pothos?
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is mainly threatened indoors by mealybugs and scale insects, both of which cluster along stems and leaf joints. Spider mites appear in very dry conditions; fungus gnats emerge when soil is overwatered. Pothos recovers quickly from light infestations with early treatment.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on pothos?
White cottony masses in stem nodes and leaf axils; sticky residue and yellowing leaves. Isolate the plant, dab with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs, and spray neem oil weekly for three to four weeks.
How do I get rid of scale insects on pothos?
Hard or soft bumps on stems; leaves yellow and vines look limp despite adequate watering. Scrape off manually, then treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap spray; repeat in 10 days.
How do I get rid of spider mites on pothos?
Yellow stippling on leaves and fine webbing, most obvious in heated, low-humidity rooms in winter. Shower the plant to dislodge mites, raise humidity, and apply neem oil or insecticidal soap every week for a month.
How do I get rid of fungus gnats on pothos?
Root damage from larvae causes sudden wilting; adults hover around moist soil. Allow the top 5 cm (2 in) of soil to dry before watering; use yellow sticky traps and Bti drench to eliminate larvae.