When I got it, it barely had one leaf. About eight months ago, we transplanted it, and it started growing super fast. It did lose about four leaves along the way, so I guess that stressed it out a bit.
Now there’s something weird going on—it’s getting some sticky stuff on it, and I think it might be from a pest.
Not really sure what it is, but it’s super sticky, and I usually wipe it off with water every couple of weeks. I’ve also noticed ants hanging around those sticky spots, and when I water the plant, a bunch of ants come out from the edge of the pot.
Should I be worried? Any advice?
by OneProgrammer3
4 Comments
From my tangential experience you might have a bit of an aphid farm (managed by the ants).
Aphids can produce honeydew which causes stickiness on leaves, and ants farm aphids for their honeydew.
Not sure what the treatment plan is though, but it definitely is some sort of pest!
Oh no, I think your Monstera is infested with scale insects, which is one of my hatest pests to deal with. They’re particularly tough to get rid of because of their hard shells. Not to be confused with aphids, though they both produce sticky stuff, aphids do not have scales. I recommend using neem oil to treat and eliminate them. First, try to scrape off as many of the scales as you can, and then apply the neem oil (diluted) to ensure you effectively kill the insects. This is just my personal preference but, I Don’t recommend using isopropyl alcohol or dishwashing liquids (as many online sources recommend). Even though you dilute them, there is still a high risk of burning the leaves. Good luck!
That is scale. The sticky stuff is from them. You need to physically remove them from the leaf. I’ve used a microfiber cloth and rubbing alcohol. If it’s really really bad I would just remove the leaf. Im dealing with scale on my monsteras and I had to remove several leaves cause I did not have the energy to clean them. To get rid of them permanently you need to use a systemic insecticide, look for imidicloorid as the main ingredient follow the instructions on the package. Stay diligent with cleaning them off. You can get it under control in kik six months to a year.
I’ve never dealt with an infestation on this magnitude, but I used pieces of tape to remove scale bugs. Maybe a lint roller would work here?