If you have found yourself in the predicament of wondering how to get rid of bugs on Rhododendrons, then you’re in the right place.
Bugs and pests can certainly be a nuisance, especially when you’re just trying to chill and grow your Rhododendron to the best of your ability.
Unfortunately, pests show up in all different shapes and sizes and some are hardly even visible so it can be hard to pinpoint if you have bugs or not.
Thankfully I’m here to let you know the signs of bugs, what kind you’re dealing with, how to actually get rid of them and what you can do to prevent them returning.
So here is all you need to know on how to get rid of bugs on Rhododendrons today!
Signs of bugs on Rhododendrons
As mentioned, some pests, in fact a lot of them are hardly visible because they’re so small that often times you will notice the signs or symptoms before the bugs.
Here are some of those signs.
- Your Rhododendron is drooping
- Your Rhododendron leaves have holes
- The leaves or plant is more sticky than usual
- The leaves have turned yellow
- The leaves have turned white or pale
- Brown leaves or tips
- Black leaves or spots
- Stunted growth
- Your Rhododendron leaves have started to fall off
- Your Rhododendron leaves are curling up
- Spider webbing like material (Spider mites)
- Bumps on the leaves or stems (Usually scales)
While a lot of these signs or symptoms can mean things other than bugs or pests, those are some key indicators that your Rhododendron has a pest infestation going on.
Whenever you notice any of those signs, it’s a good idea to have a closer look just to be sure so you can get rid of them before more damage occurs.
Types of bugs on Rhododendrons
Below are some types of bugs or pests you may be currently dealing with or may show up in the future (hopefully not) when growing Rhododendrons.
Aphids
Aphids are some of the most prominent pests that affect plants of all kinds and unfortunately, Rhododendrons can get infested just as easily as other plants.
These bugs are pretty small (2-4mm) but they can form in large clusters and cause serious damage to your Rhododendron when left untreated.
Aphids can range in color from green, red, black, gray or other colors and have pear shaped bodies, sometimes they have wings.
I hate when bugs have wings.
These bugs can be found on the leaves, stems or even in the soil if you have root aphids.
Overall you really don’t want these around.
Spider mites
Spider mites are super tiny (1/50 inch) so they are barely visible to the human eye, but if you suspect you have bugs or pests, you can see them if you look close enough.
If you have a spider mites on your Rhododendron, you may see tiny white dots or yellow dots, and I mean really small dots.
They are often on the leaves, but the tell tale sign of spider mites is silky webbing on the undersides of the leaves or on the stems.
Even though these pests are super small, they form in large numbers and will eat away at your Rhododendron.
Just like aphids, they will feed on the sap of the leaves, taking nutrients with them and leaving your Rhododendron out to dry.
This is why you will often see the leaves looking droopy or dehydrated because there is nutrient loss from pests.
Scales
Scales are unfortunately another common pest among plants and they can certainly affect your Rhododendrons.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you view it, scales are a bit larger than spider mites and aphids as they’re usually somewhere between (1/8-1/2 inch) in size.
Scales are usually brown or black and are often mistaken for being part of a plants stem or branch where they like to hang out.
You will know if you have scales if you notice unusual bumps on the stems or leaves, sometimes in great numbers.
Once again, scale bugs will feed on the sap or cell walls of the leaves and cause nutrient loss in Rhododendrons along with other issues that result.
There are even armored scale varieties which can be a pain to remove.
Whiteflies
Whiteflies are another pest you may encounter and look just like their name, they look like white flies.
These are average sized pests (1/16-1/10 inch) and are often found feeding on the undersides of leaves.
Just like the other pests mentioned above, even whiteflies can feed on the sap and leave behind sticky honeydew which turns into sooty mold eventually.
Also just like their name implies, whiteflies have wings as I’m sure you know by now.
Did I mention I really don’t like bugs with wings?
This is somewhat of a good thing though, because whiteflies are attracted to the color yellow so you can put up yellow sticky traps and they will fly to those instead of leeching off your Rhododendron.
Root Weevil
A very common type of bug you can encounter when growing Rhododendrons is the root weevil.
The root weevil looks sort of like a beetle and is around (1/3 inch) in size.
Some tell tale signs of root weevils is large holes in the leaves or stems, especially around the edges.
Thankfully a lot of the time, the damage will only affect the appearance of your Rhododendron rather than the health of the plant itself.
Now the bad news is that to remove them you would have to use some pretty strong pesticide, which isn’t always the best option.
For root weevil’s specifically, your best bet is to trap them with folded up cardboard or whatever materials you have at your disposal and put it near the base of your Rhododendron.
Rhododendron lace bug
Rhododendron lace bugs are a major problem for the plant as they will feed on it and eventually it will kill the shrub if left untreated.
These lace bugs are usually (1/8 inch) in size, will appear white or tan and are often found on the undersides of the leaves.
They usually feed on the undersides and in return you may notice small yellow spots on the leaf surface or yellowing of the leaves in general.
Overall you really don’t want these around your Rhododendrons, more so than the others.
Rhododendron borer
Rhododendron borers are small beetlelike pests that can and will feed on the undersides of the leaves, and can cause the leaves to wilt or curl more so than other pests.
When the borers mature, they become the Rhododendron borer moth and will have a distinct appearance of yellow stripes across them and wings.
Your best bet to get rid of Rhododendron borers is to use pyrethroid insecticides and follow the manufacturers directions.
How to get rid of these bugs
Other than the treatments mentioned for some of the bugs specifically mentioned, there are several ways you can get rid of bugs on Rhododendrons.
These range from tedious to fairly simple, but they are highly effective at getting rid of bugs on your Rhododendron.
Cotton swab and rubbing alcohol
One of the first ways you can try to get rid of the bugs or pests is by using a cotton swab, dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe down the leaves, or remove the pests themselves.
This is very effective although it can be a bit time consuming or you may miss some pests if you don’t cover all areas.
It’s certainly worth a try if all you have is household items to use.
Insecticidal soap
Insecticidal soap is a great way to get rid of pests on Rhododendrons since you can just spray onto the plant and it will kill most bugs on contact.
You can even make your own with some household materials by doing the following.
- 2 tablespoons of pure liquid soap
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Diluted into 1 gallon of distilled water
- Add to a spray bottle and spray your Rhododendron
You will likely need to spray more than once to the get the best results, but it’s worth it!
Neem oil
Neem oil is one of my favorite things to use for getting rid of bugs because it works so well at not only getting rid of them, but it acts as a repellant as well.
Plus you can use this stuff for fungus issues as it’s also a great fungicide.
It’s mechanism of action is similar to the insecticidal soap and will kill on contact, but will also require more than 1 spray to achieve best results.
Also keep in mind that it can have a tendency to burn leaves if it’s left out in the sun before it can dry so only spray when in shade until it can.
If you’re looking for some good quality neem oil, then you can get this neem oil.
Preventing bugs
One of the best ways to deal with bugs or pests, is to not have them show up at all or at least less often than they can.
Some ways you can prevent bugs or pests on Rhododendrons include the following.
- Keep your growing environment clean
- Maintain good airflow
- Don’t overwater your Rhododendron
- Keep good drainage
- Isolate infested plants from your Rhododendron
- Monitor your Rhododendron regularly for issues
Final thoughts
By now you will have a comprehensive idea of how to identify pests and overall how to get rid of bugs on Rhododendrons!
Now you can get back to growing a happy and healthy plant for as long as possible.
As always, happy gardening and enjoy the process!