If you just want to know how to get rid of bugs on Azaleas then you can scroll towards the bottom and find a few different ways to do this.
Otherwise you can learn the signs of bugs or pests on Azaleas, what type of bugs you may be dealing with and at the end there will be some prevention tips.
So here are the main things to know when dealing with annoying bugs or pests on Azaleas and what can be done about them.
Signs of bugs on Azaleas
If you don’t know how to identify bugs or pests on plants then you should at least know what signs or symptoms to look out for to determine if you have a pest problem.
Don’t worry I’ll help you identify the main pests on Azaleas in the next section.
With that said, a lot of bugs can go unnoticed due to their size or if they like to hangout in less visible places so the signs or symptoms are what you will notice first.
Keep in mind that while some of the following signs can mean you have a different issue going on, these are often signs of bugs and are worth looking closer into.
So some signs of symptoms of a pest infestation on your Azaleas can include the following.
- Your Azalea leaves are drooping
- Your Azalea leaves are curling up
- The leaves have turned white or pale
- Yellow leaves
- Brown tips on the leaves
- Holes in the leaves
- Sticky leaves
- Slowed or stunted growth
- Leaves are falling off
- Silk like webbing (indicates spider mites)
- Small bumps on the leaves or stems (usually indicates scales)
If your Azalea has some of these signs but you find out that you don’t actually have pests then you should check out the articles linked above to find the root cause of specific issue.
But since you’re here, you most likely do have bugs on your Azalea.
Now let’s help you identify them before getting rid of them.
Types of bugs on Azaleas
Below are some different types of bugs or pests that your Azalea may currently be dealing with or can show up in the future.
Azalea lace bug
Azalea lace bugs are usually around (1/10 inch) in size and are dark colored with wings.
Unfortunately, Azalea lace bugs tend to hang out and feed on the undersides of the leaves so you may not notice them unless you regularly check both sides of the leaves.
When they feed, you may notice the leaves begin developing white or yellow spots or the leaves becoming bleached out over time.
Thankfully even though this is certainly damage to the leaves, they don’t have a major impact on the health of your Azalea as a whole.
Spider mites
Spider mites are another common pest of Azaleas and they are super small (1/50 inch) so they can be quite difficult to spot unless they form in large numbers.
They can range in color such as yellow, red, green or brown.
The tell tale sign of spider mites is the silky webbing like material they leave behind which sort of looks like spider webs, but smaller as well.
These tiny pests will also feed on the leaves of your Azalea and cause nutrient loss from feeding on the sap of the leaves and cause small white or yellow dots or spots on top of the leaves.
Although these pests are super tiny, they can cause significant damage to plants and if left untreated can kill plants.
Scales
Scale bugs or just scales range in size between (1/8-1/2 inch) and are usually dark brown or black in appearance.
These are typically found on the leaves and especially on the stems of plants which can be mistaken for just small bumps that can look like they belong to the plant.
Time and time again I have seen posts of people asking what these bumps are on the stem, not realizing they are touching several bugs.
It personally freaks me out, eww.
Scales also feed on the sap of plants and are a major cause for drooping leaves, yellowing of the leaves and other issues associated from nutrient loss.
They can also kill plants if they form in large numbers and go untreated.
Whiteflies
Whiteflies are another type of bug your Azalea may encounter and these bugs are usually somewhere between (1/16-1/10 inch) in size and have yellow upper bodies with white wings.
Hence the name, whiteflies.
These bugs are typically found feeding on the undersides of the leaves and will not only drain nutrients from your Azaleas, but they can also kill the plant if untreated or heavily infested.
Great another pest that hides under the leaves, It sure is annoying isn’t it?
Thankfully these bugs specifically have a major weakness.
Pro tip: Whiteflies are attracted to the color yellow so you can put up yellow sticky traps nearby to see if you have whiteflies or to draw them away from your Azalea to prevent further damage.
Aphids
Aphids range in size (1/16-1/8 inch) and can appear a variety of different colors such as red, green, brown, black or other colors.
They are also another annoying pest that will feed on the sap of your Azalea leaves causing discoloration, drooping and slowed growth as a result.
On top of that, Aphids are known to leave behind a honeydew substance after feeding which eventually turns into sooty mold.
Thankfully, if there aren’t many Aphids, the damage is usually pretty light and mainly cosmetic.
It’s when they gather in large numbers that you really have to worry about.
Azalea leaf miner
Azalea leaf miners are a larvae that is formed from the adult moths and specifically target Azaleas rather than other plants.
They first appeared in Japan, but now anywhere Azaleas grow they can be affected by the Azalea leaf miners.
The tell tale sign of leaf miners is white or brown trails that are visible on the surface of the leaves since the pests actually burrow in between the leaves and treat them like their own personal tunnel.
Thankfully Azalea leaf miners don’t really cause problems for the plants health, but rather just damage to the leaves on largely a cosmetic scale.
How to get rid of the bugs
Now that you have a good idea of what kind of bugs or pests are affecting your Azaleas, here are some of the best methods to get rid of these bugs.
Just remember to isolate your Azalea from other plants if possible to prevent the bugs from spreading to other plants before treating.
Insecticidal soap
Using Insecticidal soap is one of the best ways to get rid of bugs on Azaleas since the stuff kills most bugs on contact.
All you have to do is spray the soap all over your Azalea to make sure you’re covering all areas and the pests will be removed all at once.
You may have to spray more than once to ensure all of the bugs are getting treated though.
One great thing about insecticidal soap is that not only can it be bought online or in stores, but you can make it yourself by combining the following household items.
- 2 tablespoons of pure liquid soap
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Dilute into 1 gallon of distilled water
- Add to a spray bottle
Keep in mind you may have to spray regularly to keep removing the bugs if they return often since it doesn’t last forever.
Neem oil
Neem oil works pretty similar to insecticidal soap as the oil covers the bugs and prevents them from being able to breathe.
Neem oil is one of the best ways to get rid of bugs on Azaleas as not only does it kills bugs on contact, but it also acts as a repellant against future infestations.
Plus you can use it as a fungicide if you needed to.
Keep in mind you might have to spray this stuff more than once or in regular intervals for best results on treatment and prevention.
Also be sure you only spray neem oil when your plant is either in shade or at night since it can burn leaves if exposed to sunlight before it has a chance to dry.
Lastly make sure you cover all areas of your Azalea so you don’t miss any potential spots the bugs may be hiding.
If you’re looking for some good quality affordable neem oil then you can get it online here.
Cotton swab and rubbing alcohol
If you have any cotton swabs or rubbing alcohol laying around then you can dip the cotton swab into some rubbing alcohol to wipe down the leaves.
You can target all areas of the leaves or the bugs themselves if you find them as either way will be quite effective.
This can be a bit tedious though so keep that in mind if you decide to go with this method.
Water pressure
Now if you don’t have any pest control products on hand or any of the household materials that can be used, you can use a garden hose or whatever you can to provide some water and pressure to spray the bugs off your Azaleas.
This can be effective for a good amount of pests, but for example leaf miners wouldn’t get treated properly with this method.
This method is really only good to use while you wait to get better treatment products as it’s better than nothing in the meantime.
Just make sure you spray all over the plant and with enough pressure to spray the bugs off, but not too much pressure that will tear the leaves.
Prevention tips
Now that you know the signs, types of pests and how to get rid of them, it’s important to know how to prevent bugs from showing up in the first place.
Here are some helpful tips for preventing bugs on Azaleas.
- Maintain a clean growing environment
- Have good airflow
- Keep humidity in check
- Don’t overwater your Azaleas
- Prune back unhealthy leaves
- Use neem oil as a repellant
- Isolate other infested plants
- Regularly inspect your Azalea when unusual signs occur
Final thoughts
If you made it this far, congratulations. You now know the main signs of bugs, types of bugs and how to get rid of bugs on Azaleas along with prevention measures.
This should make things a lot easier going forward now that you have this knowledge!
Overall just enjoy the process and have fun.