What is on your houseplant – and what should you do first?

Move the pot away from the collection, without leaf contact, but keep it in suitable light and warmth.

Photograph the find before wiping it away. Look beneath leaves, at leaf joints, young shoots and buds, and around the pot rim and mix surface. A magnifier helps; inspect neighbouring plants too.

Silvery streaks together with dark droppings and slender, elongated insects fit thrips. Look beneath leaves and inside tight folds. Our thrips guide helps you assess the signs and decide what comes next.

Lots of tiny pale specks with fine webbing point more towards spider mites. Look underneath for small, more rounded creatures; they need not be red. One stray spider thread is not enough. Follow our spider mite guide for a closer look.

White cottony clusters with oval insects beneath them, especially where leaves join stems, fit mealybugs. Look into sheltered gaps without pulling young leaves apart. Our mealybug guide covers the next steps.

Scale insects often resemble small, firmly attached discs along veins or stems. Colour and shape vary between species. Do not scrape at every brown bump: have unclear specimens identified. Not all scale groups produce sticky honeydew.

Aphids often gather on soft new growth and buds. Legs and antennae are visible; the insects may be green, dark or brownish. Distorted young leaves and sticky deposits fit this pattern.

If small white insects flutter up when you move a leaf, look for whiteflies and their flat immature stages underneath. Unlike fungus gnats, they live mainly on foliage. A close-up of the plant is more useful for an uncertain identification than a fly caught elsewhere in the room.

Delicate, dark flies walking over damp potting mix or flying close to the pot fit fungus gnats. Their larvae live in the mix; sticky cards catch only flying stages. Our fungus gnat guide helps you identify them and review watering appropriately.

Pale or grey dots jumping on the surface after watering may be springtails. They mainly feed on decaying material and usually do little or no harm to houseplants. Do not rush to dry a moisture-loving plant out completely.

Stickiness alone does not identify a pest. Honeydew, the sugary waste of sap-feeding insects, is a clue, but plants can also release sticky substances themselves. A white coating is not necessarily an insect colony either.

Compare surfaces and coatings with our leaf-cleaning guide. If you find no pests or clear signs, review water, light and recent changes. For more widespread yellowing, see our guide to yellow leaves. Return to suspicious areas later; one unsuccessful search does not prove a plant is pest-free.

Wipe reachable, confirmed pests from sturdy smooth leaves with a soft damp cloth, or rinse carefully. Support the leaf, change to a clean cloth surface and avoid soaking the pot unnecessarily. For hairy or sensitive surfaces, follow our leaf-care guide.

Wash your hands and equipment afterwards. Keep the plant separate and look again for living pests and fresh damage. One wash does not mean treatment is finished.

If identification remains unclear or the infestation worsens, take photos of the whole plant, leaf undersides and the creatures to a knowledgeable plant adviser. Removing a badly damaged plant with persistent pests may be more sensible than trying further treatments on a guess.

If a pesticide is needed, products used in Germany must be authorised for non-professional users. Also check the plant, pest and place of use on the current label. Elsewhere, follow local requirements. Follow the instructions and precautions; do not add homemade detergent, alcohol or oil mixtures.