Bugs That Live Under Ivy

Spider mites

• Spider mites are from the Arachnid family and consist of more than 3,000 different species. They like to lay their eggs under the ivy plant and live under its leaves and root stalks -- so much so that spider mites are a common fixture on ivy plants. The mites will make little breaks in the plants stem as they travel up and down the plant. These mites look very similar to spiders, which is how they got their name. The mites are red and are very hard to spot, unless a large group of the spider mites form in one area. Spider mites generally can be found during the summer months, but if large infestation of the mite occurs, they can be present during the winter months as well. They will lace the ivy plant with their miniature cobwebs and give the plant a dusty appearance.

Plant Lice

• Plant lice are from the aphid family and are small, flea-like bugs that inhabit root plants such as the ivy plant. They have a soft body and lack an exoskeleton. They are plant equivalent of human head lice. These bugs are considered pests and will eat away the ivy if they are not taken care of. These bugs can reproduce asexually and as a result, they can easily colonize within the ivy and are usually found on plants that have a high growth rate. When plant lice infestation occurs on the ivy, the ivy will start to go limp. The plant lice will also create a sticky film on the surface of the plant.

Scale bug

• The main bug species that live under ivy plants from the pseudococcidae family is the scale bug. There are more than 8,000 different scale bug species. The scale bug is a small fleshy insect with a shell that attaches itself to the ivy plant. These bugs looks more like small mollusks than insects. They bind to the leaves of the ivy plant as well as the stem. These bugs do not do much more than stay on the plant and deposit their eggs under the ivy plant.

Hemiptera

• Mealy bugs are a part of the hemiptera family and take habitat at the ends of the leaves on the ivy plant. These bugs have a cotton-like appearance and are fluffy. The bugs are so small that they are almost impossible to see except for during mating season. These bugs are bad for the ivy plant because they spread disease and also suck the liquid nutrients of the plant.