The 6 Worst Pests of Mother’s Day Flowers

The 6 Worst Pests of Mother’s Day Flowers

Summary: Flower bouquets are popular Mother’s Day gifts, but they can be easily ruined by pests! This blog describes the destructive diets and habits of 6 flower-loving pests. It also gives 5 easy ways to protect flower bouquets from pests. Pointe Pest Control provides efficient services for Illinois and Indiana homes.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday (May 11), and one of the hallmarks of this holiday is flower bouquets. These beautiful gatherings are fun, customizable ways to say “I love you” to the mothers and maternal figures in our lives. Unfortunately, as with most good things in life, humans aren’t the only flower fans — pests are, too.

Most flower pests aren’t harmful to us, but they still cause plenty of plant issues. The last thing you want to give your mom is a bouquet of pests! Pest prevention requires knowledge, so let’s learn about 6 infamous flower pests and 5 easy ways to keep them out of your beautiful bouquets.

Red Spider Mites

These pests are so small that we usually don’t see them, but we do see the wispy webs they leave behind! Red spider mites are tiny arachnids that suck the sap from plant leaves. The main evidence of their feeding is yellow spots on the leaves. This is where they removed the plant’s chlorophyll by draining its sap.

Red spider mites really hurt plants the more that they feed. The leaves will turn yellow and brown, and flower buds won’t survive the drainage. Since these pests love warmth and dry conditions, they’re more likely to populate bouquets that are in direct sunlight.

Red spider mites can spread to nearby plants by crawling on their webs, so the destruction isn’t limited to one bouquet.

Aphids

No garden pest blog would be complete without mentioning aphids. These are the most infamous plant pests across the country — and for good reason. Each aphid infestation drinks enough sap to drain the plant of its life. Aphids are usually green and hide underneath leaves, so it’s hard to find an invasion before it ruins your plants.

As aphids feed, the leaves gradually wilt, curl, yellow, and become discolored. If the leaves are drained, it won’t be long until the flowers dry out as well. Aphids reproduce faster in warm temperatures, and they lay fertilized eggs on the plant to continue the destruction.

The best thing to do with an aphid invasion is to treat it immediately. Ladybugs are their biggest enemies, so don’t be afraid to let ladybugs near your bouquet of flowers!

Whiteflies

These pests fit their name to a T. Whiteflies are white-colored flies that suck the sap (notice a theme?) from the lower leaves. Like aphids, whiteflies leave honeydew spots as they feed. These spots can grow black sooty mold, which further ruins the plant or flowers. Since they can fly, whiteflies easily spread to nearby plants.

As whiteflies feed, they cause the plant to have discoloration, distortion, and stunted growth. In a flower bouquet, they can kill the flowers long before they would naturally wilt. Whiteflies are also a little difficult to treat since they’re covered in a protective, powdery wax.

Whiteflies are more obvious than some of these other pests, especially if the flowers are moved or shaken at all. These pests take flight at the first sign of danger.

Spiders

Spiders are the clear outlier on this list because they don’t eat any part of the plant. Instead, they’re after the other pests that do eat the flowers! Spiders can even be somewhere else in the house and move to the flower bouquet if they see pests in there. It’s bad enough having a spider around, but it’s even creepier to find one living in your bouquet!

Spiders eat a lot of flower pests, including caterpillars, aphids, flies, and mosquitoes. It’s even thought that some spiders, like jumping spiders, provide some pollination when they crawl on flowers. While they don’t hurt the flowers, spiders aren’t innocent bystanders. They reproduce when they feel safe, so a spider that’s left alone will slowly grow its family.

Crab spiders are the most common flower-dwelling spiders. The easiest way to know if it’s a crab spider? Watch it walk. Crab spiders walk sideways like a true crab!

Thrips

Going back to the destructive pests, thrips harm flowers by drinking directly from the plant cells. This causes the plant’s colors to fade and the impacted leaves to develop silver stripes. Since thrips taste every plant they touch — and they love bright flowers — the damage spreads without much effort on their part.

Thrips are 1/5 of an inch long and pale, making it easy for them to avoid detection until they start ruining the flowers. They are terrible fliers and tend to stay on the same plant for a while because of it. As with any flower pest, thrips cause irreversible damage when they’re left alone for too long.

Thrips target new growth and young blossoms, so their damage is more noticeable this time of year. Their increasing numbers make them even more destructive in late spring through early summer — so buckle up.

Caterpillars

That fictional critter isn’t the only hungry caterpillar out there. Each caterpillar is a voracious eater because its goal is to fatten up before creating its cocoon or chrysalis for the big transformation. There are many flowery plants that can host caterpillars, including lilac, violets, and wildflowers.

These plump pests either chew jagged holes into leaves and flowers, or just eat them entirely. This won’t kill strong, healthy plants or flowers. However, a young plant or bouquet of fresh flowers may not survive a caterpillar’s mealtimes. Cutworms (general moth larvae) are the most destructive caterpillars. They chew through stems and topple young plants like tiny chainsaws!

The good thing about caterpillars is that they don’t need extensive treatments. You can just pick them off by hand and move them outside to a tree or plant that can handle their appetites!

Protect Mom’s Holiday Flowers!

Whether it’s a Mother’s Day bouquet, a Valentine’s Day bouquet, or an everyday bouquet, you want to get as much time out of it as possible. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep pests from ruining flowers before their time. All it takes is a bit of care and attention.

Our best tips for keeping a pest-free bouquet are:

• Prune the Bouquet — Pests target weak or dry plants, so make sure your bouquet is healthy. As they develop, prune and throw away any dead, yellow, discolored, dried, and infested leaves or flowers.

• Use Repellant Plants — Some plants aren’t appealing to pests, so use this to your advantage! Place a couple sprigs of herbs (rosemary, basil, etc.) or lavender in the vase with the flowers.

• Keep the Bouquet in One Place — Garden pests live outside, so bringing an outdoor bouquet inside risks letting pests into your home. We recommend always keeping the bouquet indoors. If you want it outside, don’t bring it back in later (without a thorough inspection first!).

• Isolate the Bouquet — We love a good houseplant, but there’s a risk to placing a bouquet near other plants. If one of them has pests, the critters can easily spread to the other — and beyond. Place the bouquet away from other plants, and keep an eye on all the greenery throughout the year.

• Check the Bouquet Daily — Above all else, checking the bouquet every day is an easy yet essential way to prevent pests. If there’s a pest problem, you’ll know. Make sure the bouquet has enough water, doesn’t have any pests, and only has healthy flowers and leaves.

Pointe’s Efficient Solutions are in Bloom

When you have a pest problem, you don’t want to wait around for it to solve itself — because it won’t. At Pointe Pest Control, we understand the role that efficiency plays in pest control. That’s why our technicians deliver tailored solutions for all kinds of local pest problems. We take pride in protecting Illinois and Indiana homes from destructive pests, especially in the pest-heavy spring and summer.

The key to constant prevention is regular pest control services. Our professionals keep pests away for the long run by implementing targeted treatments and prevention to fit your needs. Contact us for a free quote on our dependable pest control services today!

Citations

10 best flowers for Mother’s Day & their meanings. (2024, April 2). 1-800 Flowers.com. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://www.1800flowers.com/articles/flower-facts/best-flowers-for-mothers-day

Harney, C. (2024, February 16). 5 pests that love your Valentine’s Day flowers. Pointe Pest Control. Available at https://pointepestcontrol.com/5-pests-that-love-your-valentines-day-flowers/ (Accessed on April 24, 2025).

Sanchez, N. (2021, September). How to recognize and manage spider mites in the home garden. OSU Extension Service. Available at https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/how-recognize-manage-spider-mites-home-garden (Accessed on April 24, 2025).

Thrips. (2024, September). Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/insects-pests-and-problems/insects/thrips

Whiteflies on flowers. (2023, March 10). University of Maryland Extension. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://extension.umd.edu/resource/whiteflies-flowers/