TINY white bugs on plumeria! What are they and how do I get rid of them?

Question

I have a potted plumeria (as well as several other container plants) on my partially shaded balcony. This evening during watering, I noticed that they had teensy tiny white specks all over them. I thought they might be dust/debris from a bird feeder that hangs nearby, but when I shook the leaves, they all started flying! Ick! They are really tiny (like a grain of sand) and white. They don't seem to be on any of the other plants...YET! :)

Does anyone know what these little buggers are? And more importantly, any ideas for getting rid of them?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Answer 1

If they move in a 'hopping' fashion, they might be collembolans, a group of very primitive insects often found in damp situations. See http://www.collembola.org/taxa/collembo.... and http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent525/s... for some images. If this is what you have, they do no harm other than being a nuisance by their presence. If the insects crawl/run without hopping/jumping, they might be psocids, commonly called 'booklice' for their prediliction to be found in books and other papers kept in damp conditions. See http://sgrl.csiro.au/storage/insects/ins... and http://entomology.unl.edu/kyi/57a.jpg for some images. Again, these do little harm in themselves, but most people object to their presence. In either case, the best control method is to eliminate as much unnecessary dampness as possible, and reduce clutter in the house. If chemical control is necessary, just about any off the shelf product labeled for household use should do. If neither of these insects matches what you are seeing, please get back to me with details as to how they differ. Alternatively, you could try collecting some by dipping a cotton swab (such as a Q-tip) in rubbing alcohol, touching it to the insect, than placing it in a small glass or plastic container that can be tightly capped. Then take the specimen(s) to your nearest cooperative extension service agent (should listed under county government offices in your phonebook) for assistance in identification and control recommendations (if needed). If you have trouble locating such an office, please tell me what state you reside in, and I should be able to assist you.

Answer 2

Sounds like common whitefly, I would first try soaping them with common dish soap and tap water solution, if that doesn't work then try diatomaceous earth. Last resort would be chemical pesticide. The tobacco thing the other guy mentioned is interesting because some of the pesticides we use at the nursery are nicotinic acids (synthesized nicotine). Usually moving the plants to a windier spot can help as the flies are so small they can't deal with the wind.

Answer 3

This sounds like spider mites.  My friend has a plumeria and she had these little things on it, and she told me she poured beer onto the plant and it got rid of them.  Crazy I know, but it worked!

Answer 4

This is going to sound very stupid, but it works.  Buy a pack of cigarettes or some pipe tobacco.  Crumble the cigarettes (three) into a bucket.  Fill with water and let sit overnight.  Tomorrow pour water into sprinkling can and water your plants.  The bugs will be gone.You need like a teaspoon of tobacco for the bucket.