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The common pest usually referred to as whitefly is actually the Glasshouse whitefly, and is mostly found on greenhouse and indoor plants. Clouds of the approximately 1.5 mm (1/16 in) long white, winged adults rising as plants are disturbed are typically the first indication of infestations.
Female whitefly lay off-white cylindrical eggs (which have a slight yellowish-green tinge) either singly or in neat little circles. Shortly after, the also off-white nymphs will hatch. The nymphs spend most of their time in the same place - typically on the underside of leaves - feeding on the plant's sap and weakening it in the process.
Because they are quite difficult to detect and many strains of this pest have already developed or are able to quickly develop a resistance to most pesticides, prevention is one of the most effective measures of controlling them.
Signs of Infestation
Clouds of adults rising during watering, or when moving the plant, as well as circles of eggs and/ or scale-like nymphs, which are easily spotted underneath leaves and on stems, are sure signs of whitefly infestations. Black areas caused by sooty mould attracted by the honeydew secreted by both adults and nymphs; slow/ stunted growth and wilting/ dropping foliage also indicate infestations.
Dealing with Infestations
Immediate quarantine and pruning off all affected plant parts is essential to prevent the infestation from spreading. If a plant is suffering from a really heavy, serious infestation, it may well not recover at all. If only a small area is infested, it is often possible to remove these pests and their offspring by wiping them off with a soft, damp cloth, or by giving the plant a wash with insecticidal soap.
In greenhouses, introduction of Encarsia formosa, a tiny parasitic wasp that will attack whitefly nymphs, is highly effective if introduced before the infestation becomes too heavy. Monitoring the success of this method is made easy by the fact that parasitized nymphs will turn black. The wasp is, however, susceptible to pesticides, meaning they can not be used in conjunction with this method.
On house plants, yellow sticky traps often help to reduce adult populations. Home-made sprays may also help to deter these pests and their nymphs.
Contact sprays - Deltamethrin, urea/ mineral lattice, lambda cyhalothrin, fatty acids or plant oils/ extracts - must be used frequently, as their effect is relatively short-lived. A resistance to lambda cyhalothrin and/ or Deltamethrin may also already haven been developed, or may be developed fairly quickly by offspring.
Systemic insecticides - thiamethoxam, acetamiprid or thiacloprid - tend to be most effective, as they are absorbed into the plant's tissue and affect pests by being taken in through feeding. As these substances are toxic, taking careful note of instructions and warnings before, during and after use is of utmost importance.
Also known as storm flies, thunder blights, thunder bugs or thunder flies, thrips have a slender, cigar-shaped body typically ranging from 0.5 to 1 mm (0.02 to 0.04 in) in length, although predatory thrips can grow to lengths of 14 mm (0.55 in).
Because thrips rasp into flower petals and leaves to get at the sap, leaves and petals often appear distorted and feature visible scars. Thrips often also leave visible dark spots on flower petals and silvery streaks on foliage. In addition, it may be possible to detect the movement of congregations of larvae on the soil.
Spider mites belong to the mite (Acari) family of Tetranychidae, a family including around 1,200 species. Known to feed on hundreds of different plant-species by puncturing plant cells using their mouth-parts, which are needle-sharp, they can quickly destroy a plant before moving on to the next host.
Only regular inspections with a magnifying glass will reveal an infestation within its earlier stages. Fine webbing under leaves, or between stems and leaves and a bronzed, washed appearance of the plant indicate heavy infestations. By this time, controlling the infestation is often extremely difficult, if not downright impossible.
The scale insect, often simply known as scale, is a limpet-like sap sucking pest likely to infest just about any greenhouse, ornamental or house plant, as well as fruits and even vegetables, although some of its many species seem to have developed a particular taste for plants belonging to the fern and fig (ficus) families.
Scale infestations can be detected by patches of the fibrous white wax; patches of honeydew and/ or a blackened appearance of leaves/ stems due to sooty mould attracted by the honeydew; discard outer coverings (shell-like scales/ bumps), and, of course, insect activity.
Mealy bugs are common, sap sucking pests that thrive especially well in warm conditions. Although they will infest a whole list of house plants - as well as greenhouse plants - they have developed a particular taste for begonias, coleus, African violets, cacti and succulents. They are active and will continually breed all year round, and tend to live in clusters, usually in protected parts - like leaf sheaths and axils, between twining stems or closely layered leaves, or underneath loose pieces of bark - of plants.
Specks or patches of fluffy white wax are typically the first sign of a mealy bug infestation. Both the females and their orange-pink eggs can be found below this substance. Accumulations of honeydew may also be visible, in particular if the infestation is heavy. In this case, blackened patches of sooty mould, which is attracted by the honeydew, may also be present. Root-feeding mealy bugs can be detected by easing the plant out of its container and looking for the tell-tale white mass among the roots. Mealy bug activity may also cause loss of vigour in the plant, as well as stunted growth and prematurely dropping leaves.
Fungus Gnats, which belong to the order of Diptera, look similar to mosquitoes, are a nuisance and can cause serious havoc on plants, but are harmless to people and animals. Around 2 to 3 mm (1/16 to 1/8 in) long, their delicate bodies are black and feature greyish-transparent wings, antennae and thin legs. In spite of their wings, they can hardly fly and typically crawl or or hover just above soil/ window sills.
Because fungus gnats tend to be drawn to sources of light, large groups can often be spotted near doors and windows. On the plant itself, they are usually only visible when disturbed by watering or blowing on the plant. The adults typically do not feed on the plant, but their larvae, which remain invisible in the soil, feed on organic matter - including the plant's feeder roots and delicate root hairs - within the soil. As a result, the plant loses its vigour, growth is poor and the plant wilts. Eventually, foliage turns yellow and drops off.
Often simply referred to as green fly or black fly, these soft-bodied, 1 to 7 mm (up to about 1/4 in) long sap sucking insects actually include a variety of species. Typically pear-shaped and featuring long legs, some of these species are wingless, while others have wings. Colours vary from pink, black and yellow to white, red, green or mottled, and some of them - such as, for instance, the Woolly Beech Aphid and the Woolly Aphid - are often confused with scale insects, whitefly and mealy bugs, because they tend to cover themselves in the same fluffy, waxy white secretions.
Typically attacking new plant growth, aphids can be found on house plants' growing tips, leaf axils, leaves (mainly on the underside) and flower buds. In addition to the actual insects, patches of honeydew and larvae, it is frequently also possible to spot accumulating cast off skins (white) on leaves' upper sides.
Even the most careful of owners will find that occasionally, some bug or another will make it through to their plants. Panic ye not, as the saying goes, because much can be done to get rid of them effectively - although it should be said that a speedy response is of utmost importance, because the longer an infestation is left, the more the infested plant will suffer and the more likely it is that the infestation will spread to other plants.
This will take a little more time and effort. Because hot pepper oils can cause serious skin irritations and are unbelievably vicious if they get into eyes, wearing gloves - and perhaps even goggles - while preparing and spraying this remedy is definitely recommended.
Botanical Name: Anthurium scherzerianum 
Water: To keep Anthurium scherzerianum well and happy, its soil should be kept evenly moist - though never soggy, as this will also result in yellow leaves - throughout the year. 
It also needs to be kept quite warm and, although it tolerates temperatures between 18 and 24 degrees C (65 to 75 degrees F), it does best within a constant temperature of 21 degrees C (70 degrees F). Drafts and temperatures below 10 degrees C (60 degrees F) should be avoided at all cost, because they will cause the plant's leaves to go yellow, as will over-watering. 
If seeds are used for propagation, it is essential to ensure they are fresh and still moist, as old, dry seeds simply will not germinate. Each seed should be placed into its own 10 cm (4 in) pot, which should then be covered with a mason jar in order to maintain high humidity. The temperature of the growing medium should be kept constant at 26.67 degrees C (80 degrees F) until germination - which should take 20 to 30 days - is complete. 
Botanical Name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 
Temperatures: Average temperatures should range between 16 and 24 degrees C (60 to 75 degrees F) for Flaming Katy plants. 
Although quite thick and apparently sturdy, these leaves are quite brittle in reality, and need to be handled with care to prevent their tips breaking off. 
Around 6 to 8 weeks later, the first buds should start appearing, at which point normal care - keeping the soil just moist and feeding monthly - may be resumed. Even if flowering is not as abundant - and perhaps a little more erratic - than the first time round, the plant's attractive foliage still makes it worth keeping.