When it comes to knowing how to get rid of bugs on Clematis, you first need to know the signs of bugs or pests.
You can then try to identify what kind of bugs are attacking your Clematis and put a stop to them.
As always it’s also important to know how to prevent them in the first place, or in the future.
Thankfully we will be discussing all of this so you will have everything you need to know.
Signs of pests on a Clematis
There are many different types of bugs that can be attracted to a clematis and not all of them are easily visible so often you will notice the symptoms first before the bugs themselves.
Some signs you have a pest infestation can include the following.
- Drooping leaves
- Curling leaves
- Stunted growth
- Leaves turning yellow
- Leaves turning white or pale
- Brown leaves or tips
- Black leaves or spots
- Holes in the leaves
- Bumps on the surface
- Cotton looking ovals (Mealy bugs)
- Spider webbing like material (Spider mites)
- Visible bugs
Keep in mind while these are symptoms of bugs on a Clematis, some of these symptoms can certainly be caused by something else.
If you’re unsure as to what is causing any of those individual symptoms, you can check out the articles linked on the symptoms to find out.
Types of pests that can affect Clematis
Below are some types of pests you may encounter or are currently dealing with on your Clematis growing journey.
Although it doesn’t matter too much what kind of pest you’re dealing with since you’ll want to get rid of them anyway, it does help to know what you’re dealing with.
Aphids
Aphids are quite small bugs ranging from (1/16-1/8 of an inch) and can show up in a variety of colors such as black, yellow, brown, green pale or gray.
These pests are quite annoying to deal with as they will feed on the leaves sap, causing nutrient loss and water loss which will leave your Clematis dehydrated and unhealthy.
Although these bugs are tiny, they are visible to the human eye if you look close enough or know what to look for.
Aphids are often found on the leaves and stems of a Clematis, but they can also get into the soil and attack the roots unfortunately.
Scale bugs
Scales or scale bugs are another type of pest you may encounter when growing a Clematis.
Scales are a bit larger than aphids and can range from (1/8-1/2 of an inch) so they are much more visible than most pests.
These can often be found on the stems of plants and are often confused as just bumps on the leaves or stems.
They can range in color but most of them will be in the white or brown range.
Unfortunately, these bugs will also feed on the sap of your Clematis and cause nutrient loss among other issues such as sooty mold from leaving a honeydew substance behind.
To top it all off, they also have two main forms, soft bodied scales and armored scales.
The latter is unsurprisingly more difficult to remove.
Thrips
Thrips are also quite small pests since they are usually around (1/10 of an inch) in size and some of them even have wings.
They can often be identified as small dark slivers on your plant and may even look a bit like tiny lobsters in bug form.
Thankfully thrips don’t survive in soil for very long so it’s very uncommon you will ever see them there.
With that said, they sure can attack the leaves of your plant the same way as the others by feeding on the cells and stealing nutrients.
They can also cause holes in the leaves and even cause the leaves to fall off after the damage is done.
Whitefly
Whiteflies are another common pest that can be attracted to a Clematis and are also quite small (1/16-1/10 of an inch) in size.
They are white in color and have wings, hence the name whitefly.
Similar to other pests, these too will feed on the sap of your Clematis and steal essential nutrients in return.
They are often found on the leaves of plants and can be seen by the human eye.
Fun fact: Whiteflies are attracted to the color yellow so sticky traps are a great way to get them to leave your Clematis alone.
How to get rid of the pests
There are a number of ways you can get rid of bugs on a Clematis so let’s discuss the most popular and effective ways.
Water and some pressure
If you have a light pest infestation or you don’t currently have pest control materials on hand, a good way to remove at least some pests is simply by using water with some pressure.
You can just use a water hose and spray down the leaves and stems of your Clematis with a bit of pressure to forcefully remove bugs from the plant.
Pro Tip: Start with very low pressure and work your way up until you see the bugs flying off and then keep the pressure steady so you don’t tear the leaves or other parts of the plant.
Keep in mind some pests such as armored scales will be harder to remove and you will have to spray often since there is no repellant in water.
Cotton swab and rubbing alcohol
Another tried and true method to deal with pests is by using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
You can simply wipe down the leaves or other affected parts of your Clematis to remove the bugs one at a time.
Keep in mind this can be quite time consuming and pretty tedious if you opt for this method.
It’s certainly effective at removal of bugs, but it doesn’t really work at repelling them.
Insecticidal Soap
One of the most effective ways to get rid of bugs on Clematis is by using insecticidal soap which can be bought online, at stores or it can be made at home.
This stuff works really well since direct contact with pests will starve them of oxygen so it’s quite effective.
If you want to make your own you can combine the following.
- 2 tablespoons of pure liquid soap
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 gallon of water
You can then add this to the soil or add it in a spray bottle and spray down your Clematis wherever you suspect the bugs to be.
It’s honestly pretty nice that you can DIY pest control products if you have the materials.
Neem oil
One of my favorite ways to get rid of bugs is by using a pretty popular pest control product known as neem oil.
This stuff works very similar to insecticidal soap but it also acts as a repellant to help keep bugs away after it’s been used.
Plus it doubles as a fungicide as well, very convenient stuff.
With neem oil you just need to move your plant in shade before you spray as it can burn leaves if left in the sun before it dries.
When your Clematis is in shade and ready to go, spray all over the plant and into the soil if need be as well.
You may have to spray more than once, but after a few sprays it will be rid of pests and help keep them away for a good while.
I recommend this neem oil by the way if you’re looking to get some to use.
How to prevent bugs on a Clematis
One of the best ways to deal with bugs and pests is to not get them in the first place.
While it can be entirely random for pests to show up, more often than that they will arrive when your plant is unhealthy or if the growing conditions are not so great.
Some ways you can prevent or reduce the chance of getting pests or bugs include the following.
- Isolate any affected plants from others to reduce the chance of them spreading
- Have good airflow
- Keep good humidity levels
- Keep growing environment clean
- Use pest repellants regularly
- Monitor your plant and soil regularly as well
- Don’t overwater or rot the roots
Final Thoughts
With everything listed above, you will be able to identify if you actually have pests and be able to get rid of the bugs on your Clematis for good.
Once this is taken care of, you can get back to what really matters, growing a happy and healthy Clematis!