Do snake plants attract insects? [Things To Know] –ISBUZZLE

If you’re wondering if snake plants attract insects, the short answer is no, at least not in general, especially if you care for them properly.

Snake plants are super strong and hardy and are generally pest free, but if the care hasn’t been great or your Sansevieria is in danger, insects can definitely show up.

Below are some bugs or glitches that you might (hopefully not) encounter in the future that can cause them to appear suddenly.

Bugs you can find

Snake bugs can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can certainly vary in how much they tend to infest.

Some bugs are so small that unfortunately you can’t even see them.

They’re just annoying to deal with.

Some of the different types of insects you may encounter when growing your snake plant may include the following.

• aphids
• mealybugs
• red spider
• fungus gnats
• Balance
• thrips
• white flies

Most of these insects are between 1/8 and 1/4 inch and some are even smaller, such as spider mites (1/50 inch).

Scales can often be mistaken for bumps on stems that appear to be part of the plant, and fungus gnats can have larvae that live in the soil.

As you can see, they can be very difficult to detect.

You will often have to rely on pest symptoms before seeing the insects (not always).

How to recognize insects on a snake plant

There are telltale signs that your snake plant has an insect problem, as well as other signs that could point to pests or could be an entirely different problem.

Some signs to look out for are:

• Holes in the leaves
• brown leaf tips
• Your snake plant is turning yellow.
• Your snake plant is falling
• The leaves are curling up
• The leaves have turned black (soot fungus)
• White spots or dots (usually scale insects)
• Bumps on leaves or stems (indicates scales)
• Weaving Material (Red Spider)

As you can see, the critters can cause a variety of symptoms and distress to your snake plant, so it’s ideal you never encounter them in the first place.

What makes insects attracted to snakes?

Most of the time insects are attracted to a snake plant that is in distress in some way.

Healthy snake plants usually don’t catch insects unless there is another infected plant nearby and they are spreading to your snake plant, or by sheer luck.

That said, there are several ways your mother-in-law’s tongue can attract insects under certain growing conditions or improper care.

high humidity

Providing too much humidity is a major factor in attracting insects to your snake plant, as insects like to be in damp places.

They’re really drawn to it.

In fact, many insects need to live in places with high humidity or places with sufficient humidity to survive and thrive.

Snake plants are best grown in a humidity range between 30% and 50%, and anything above this range increases the likelihood of insects appearing.

excess water

Overwatering your snake plant will give insects a greater incentive to appear, similar to too much moisture.

For example, fungus gnat larvae need to be in moist soil to survive, and standing water or constantly soggy soil will provide them with this.

Overwatering will not only increase the likelihood of insects being attracted to your snake plant, but it can also cause damaging issues like root rot in snake plants.

You certainly don’t want that.

Keep in mind that even if you don’t water as much, your snake plant may still hold water too long if the soil doesn’t drain well.

If necessary, use well-drained soil and drainage holes in the container.

poor air circulation

Poor air circulation is a recipe for disaster, as it will also allow mold, disease, and insects to thrive.

You always want to maintain good air circulation when growing snake plants so they can thrive and stay healthy.

Just as you would love to live in a place with good air circulation, so does your snake plant, so give it what it wants and it will pay you back growing and looking its best!

How to handle errors

In my experience, one of the best ways to control insects on houseplants is to spray them with a good neem oil.

Neem oil not only kills insects and pests on contact, but also acts as a repellent against future invasions.

Just be sure to spray at night or in full shade until dry so you don’t scorch the leaves.

Neem oil is one of many ways to combat these annoying insects, but it is definitely one of the most effective ways.

If you are currently dealing with bugs, check out my article on how to get rid of bugs on snake plants for a super detailed guide.

Last words

Now you know the answer to whether snake plants attract insects, and since the answer is usually no, it’s up to you to provide the best snake plant care possible to prevent them from appearing.

As mentioned above, your concern may be great and insects may still be attracted to your snake plant if they are near another infested plant, so don’t be discouraged if you still have them.

Do your best to get rid of the bugs as I know you already will.

As always, thank you for reading and enjoying the process and overall experience of growing a happy and healthy snake plant!