Hydrangea

What Bugs Come to Hydrangea Trees? Proper Guide

Oct 16, 2024

Falling in love with the stunning blossoms and lush foliage of Hydrangeas is a common story for gardeners. But, these beautiful flowering plants can be an easy target for pests, losing their health and bloom. Almost every gardener worries about what bugs come to Hydrangea trees.

Understanding the common pest threats and prevention methods is crucial. So, I came up with a guideline about common bugs that attack Hydrangea trees and how to prevent them. So, let’s find out what pests to save your Hydrangea from and how to do it.

Common Bugs that Attack the Hydrangea Trees

Here are some of the most common bugs that attack Hydrangea trees:

Aphids: These are small pear-shaped bugs that eat the sap of Hydrangea leaves. It causes curling and yellowing of the leaves. They can also cause sooty mold.
Spider Mites: Tiny web-spinning bugs that also feed on the sap from the leaves and leave behind stripped, yellow, or brown foliage. They love dry and hot conditions.
Japanese Beetles: These metallic green bugs with copper wings can be destructive, especially in the summer. They chew on Hydrangea leaves, leaving behind skeletonized foliage.
Scale Insects: They come as hard and small bumps on stems and leaves. Feeding on the plant sap, they cause stunted growth and yellow leaves.
Leaf Tiers: These are caterpillars that tie Hydrangea leaves together with silk threads. It creates unsightly clusters of damaged leaves. These bugs feed on leaves inside the cluster.
Whiteflies: They are small, white, and winged insects you see under the leaves of Hydrangea trees. They feed on plant juice and cause wilting, yellowing, and leaf drop.
Slugs and Snails: They are found in wet weather, chewing holes through leaves. They leave behind a slimy trail and are mostly active at night.

These are the most common pests that are seen to attack Hydrangea plants. Each of them can be dangerous for your flowering plant and cause significant damage if left untreated. So, it is crucial to keep checking on the Hydrangea plants and take proper action if attacked by insects.

Identifying Bug Infestations

You need to identify pest infestations as early as possible to take timely action and reduce the damage. You may wonder, “What bugs come to Hydrangea trees?” Here is a list of some of the most common bugs that attack Hydrangea.

Bug	Signs	Pest Clues	Check
Aphids	Curling, Distorted, Yellowing	Sticky honeydew on leaves and the presence of ants, who are attracted by the honeydew.	Check under the leaves for pear-shaped and small insects.
Spider Mites	Stippling or speckling on leaves, yellow or brown leaves	Webbing between branches and under the leaves.	They are very tiny, so look for small moving dots under the leaves using a magnifying glass.
Japanese Beetles	Skeletonized leaves, leaving only the veins behind	Look for large metallic green bugs eating leaves in the daytime.	Examine the leaves for holes and check for visible beetles, especially in the summer.
Scale Insects	Branch dieback, Yellowing leaves, Slow growth	Small, brown, or white, raised bumps on leaves or stems.	Observe sap oozing from the plant and scrape the bumps to see if they are hard.
Leaf Tires	Leaves tied together with threads of silk	Caterpillars or larvae feed inside the bound leaves.	Open the leaf cluster and look for caterpillars.
Whiteflies	Yellowing leaves, Wilting, and early leaf drop	Tiny, white, flying insects are visible when the plant is moved.	Look under the leaves for white flies or their eggs.
Slugs and Snails	Irregular holes in leaves, especially near the edges	Slimy trails around the leaves and on the ground of the plant.	Observe the plant at night or early in the morning, as the slugs and snails are active at this time.

With regular checkups on the clues and signs, you can identify any pest infestation as early as possible. It will allow you to take proper steps before the infestation gets extensive.

Prevention Tips for Hydrangea Pests

There is a saying that prevention is better than cure, so you must ensure that the bugs can’t attack your Hydrangea in the first place. The question is, how to prevent pest infestation on Hydrangea? Here are some of the key findings that will help you with pest prevention.

General Pest Prevention Practices: First of all, keep your Hydrangea healthy and strong by ensuring proper water, light, and soil conditions. A healthy plant is automatically more resistant to pests. Also, regularly remove dead leaves, plant matter, and debris around the Hydrangea to keep the plant in a clean environment, reducing the risk of pest infestation.
Organic Pest Control Methods: For big bugs like Japanese Beetles, you can just handpick them and put them into soapy water to get rid of them. If the pests are like Aphids or Spider Mites, you can try spraying them, as a strong blast of water is enough to dislodge them from the plant. Finally, for snails, you can use organic mulching. It will lock in the soil moisture and also keep slugs and snails away.
Beneficial Insects: This is like picking a throne with another throne; some insects are beneficial for the Hydrangea plants. For example, Ladybugs, Lacewings, or Parasitic wasps are the natural predators of pests like Aphids, scale insects, and Mites. Introducing them to your garden can keep Hydrangea pest infestation under control.
Watering and Pruning Techniques: While watering your Hydrangea, make sure to just water the base and keep the foliage dry. Wet leaves attract pests like slugs, snails, and other fungal infections. You can also prune your Hydrangea to keep pests away, as it promotes air circulation. It reduces the risk of fungal infections and diseases. Don’t forget to dispose of infested or dead plant parts properly.

Treatment for Hydrangea Pests

Is your Hydrangea already under attack from the pests? Don’t worry; you can still fight against the pests to save your beloved plant. Here are some effective measures you can take to treat your Hydrangea:

Natural Remedies

You can naturally get rid of most of the pests. There are mainly 3 natural methods of curing pest attacks.

Soapy Water Spray: Mix mild soap with water and spray directly on the affected areas. It is effective, especially against pests like Aphids, Spider Mites, and Whiteflies. The soap kills the bugs by breaking down their protective layer.
Neem Oil: You can apply neem oil every week to save your Hydrangea from bugs like Aphids, Whiteflies, and scale insects. Neem oil will disrupt their natural lifecycle and kill them.
Diatomaceous Earth: For pests like slugs and snails, you can sprinkle some food-grade diatomaceous earth around the base of your Hydrangea. They are pretty sharp particles that keep soft-bodied pests away.

Chemical Treatments

There are also chemical solutions for treating pest attacks on your Hydrangeas. Here are the options you can go for –

Insecticidal Soap: You can find these at any garden center. There is an even more powerful version of soap water that can effectively kill soft-bodied bugs like Aphids and Whiteflies. They can harm even humans, so carefully follow the company instructions while applying.
Systemic Insecticides: These chemicals are absorbed by the plant, and they target the insects from the inside out. They are very effective for long-term pest control and work great against persistent bugs like scale insects. But they can also harm beneficial insects, so use them with caution.
Pyrethrin-Based Sprays: These sprays are made from chrysanthemum flowers. They are highly effective against various pests, like beetles and caterpillars. You can use it when the infection is severe.

Call the Professionals

If the infection is way out of control, it is better to call the professionals to handle the issue. How would you know if the pest attack is getting out of your hands? You can look for some signs, like widespread yellowing, a large number of pests, not blooming, or stunted growth. In such an infestation stage, only seeking help from professionals is the optimal choice that gives you a chance of saving your Hydrangea plant.

Overall, you need to ensure the right treatment for the right pest at the right time. It may seem complex at first glance, but regularly checking up on your plant is the key to making it easy.

Seasonal Care for Hydrangeas

If you properly care for your Hydrangeas, your plant will stay safe from most pest attacks or diseases. The maintenance of Hydrangeas changes with the season, and you need to remember what to do and when to do it. Here is an easy breakdown of Hydrangea care in different weather.

Spring and Summer Pest Management

This is the growing season for Hydrangeas, so you need to inspect your plant regularly for any signs of pests. Specifically, Japanese beetles, Spider mites, and Aphids can attack your plant in this season. The sooner you detect pest infestation, the better it is.

The pruning season of Hydrangea is in early spring, just before the growth season starts. During this time, prune the dead or diseased branches and leaves of the plant. It will stop the disease from spreading and also encourage new growth for the season.

You can also apply organic mulch around the base of the Hydrangea plant to lock in soil moisture, keep the soil temperature under control, and safeguard your plant from pests like snails and slugs. While applying mulch, remember to keep at least a couple of inches of distance from the stem to prevent rotting.

As we mentioned earlier, water the base of the plant and keep the foliage dry. It is because wet foliage attracts bugs and puts your plant at risk of fungal infections, especially in the hot and humid summer season.

Fall and Winter Care

In the fall season, clear any falling leaves or debris that can attract or spread pests. A clean garden reduces the chances of pest infestations significantly. Also, lightly prune your Hydrangea in late fall to remove any remaining dead or damaged parts. It will prevent the insects from taking shelter in unhealthy or dead parts of the plant.

The fall season is also the perfect time to apply neem oil. It will destroy the overwintering eggs of pests like scale insects. It will reduce the burden of pest pressure in the coming winter. Besides, use a burlap or protective coverings in cold winter to protect it from harsh winter conditions. Without it, the plants will get weak, and it will be easy for pests to damage them.

More or less, these are all the seasonal maintenance tips you need to keep your Hydrangea healthy and safe from any pests or diseases.

Conclusion

Caring for Hydrangeas is not just about enjoying their vibrant blooms; you must also protect and provide for the plants. You can ensure a proper growing condition for your Hydrangea by ensuring regular inspection of what bugs come to Hydrangea trees, protection from bugs and insects, and appropriate treatment if infected. With just a bit of attention to detail, you can create a beautiful landscape with long-lasting and beautiful Hydrangeas.

FAQs

What are the most common pests on Hydrangeas?

Many pests attack Hydrangeas. These are Aphids, Spider Mites, Japanese Beetles, Scale Insects, and Whiteflies.

How can I naturally prevent pests on Hydrangea?

Regularly prune the plant for air circulation, introduce beneficial insects, use neem oil, and water the plant at the base. These simple practices will do most of the work for you.

How to use chemical treatment on Hydrangeas without harming the beneficial insects?

You must choose targeted insecticides, like neem oil or insecticidal soap, to prevent only a specific category of bugs. Also, apply these in the early morning or evening when the beneficial bugs are less active.