How to Get Rid of Bugs on Bougainvillea: The Ultimate Guide That Actually Works

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Robby

A part of the bougainvillea’s appeal is that they are relatively disease and pest-free plants. It is NOT common for your bougainvillea to be affected by these pests and diseases if you follow BGI’s Rules for Care, and fertilize with Bougain® which contain a significant amount of micronutrients – vital for healthy, blooming bougainvillea. This page contains most (but not all) common pests/diseases that may affect your bougainvillea.

On the rare occurrences that your bougainvillea experiences pest problems or disease, always try the least toxic method of pest control as your first step. If you use chemical pesticides to control insect pests, you will also kill natural predators. If you choose a chemical control, follow directions and guidelines closely and always wear protective clothing and safety gear including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, neoprene gloves, goggles and a respirator. Chemical pesticides are not recommended for use inside the home.

Known also as greenfly, blackfly or plant lice, aphids are minute plant-feeding insects. Important natural enemies include the predatory ladybugs/ladybirds/ladybeetles, and lacewings. Aphids are tiny, pear-shaped, sap-sucking pests, appearing in the spring to feast on your plants’ tender new leaves. They leave behind a secretion that attracts ants and promotes mold growth. Not to fear; you don’t have to resort to toxic chemicals to save your bougainvillea.

The early symptoms are small reddish-brown leaf spots which usually occur on younger foliage, and cause the leaves to look “rusty”. These enlarge into circular or irregular dark necrotic spots. When environmental conditions are drier and less favorable, leaf spots are slower to develop. Lesions have a tan center surrounded by a dark redbrown margin, and are sometimes bordered by a chlorotic halo. In time, leaf edges may become ragged as the necrotic tissue turns dry and papery. Under conditions of high rainfall or relative humidity the lesions develop quickly and are often black and vein delimited. Infection of developing leaves and bracts results in puckered, distorted growth.

Natural Control Maintaining dry foliage is the primary control measure. Prune branches back and away from each other or, if just starting to grow, allow a large amount of space between them. Branches that are overlapping can’t dry quickly and become more susceptible to leaf spot disease. Remove infected leaves and/or plants from the growing area. Dispose of them immediately to reduce the spreading of infection.

Chemical Control Spray fungicide in the spring if necessary. It will not cure infection that is already there, but it can control the spread of it. In frost-free climates where bougainvillea is perennial, disease incidence drops during cool and/or dry weather.

Yellow or tan spots appear on older leaves may be sign of Magnesium deficiency (common with yellow bougainvillea varieties), or from over-watering.

Plants that are over-watered or subjected to water logged conditions can develop root or stem rot. It’s easily prevented by careful handling and by the application of a broad spectrum fungicide drench during transplanting or planting in the landscape.

Hey there fellow gardeners! I’ve been dealing with pesky bugs on my bougainvillea for years, and let me tell you – it ain’t fun seeing those gorgeous flowers getting destroyed by unwanted visitors After lots of trial and error, I’m gonna share everything I know about getting rid of these annoying pests naturally and effectively

What’s Actually Eating Your Bougainvillea?

Before we dive into solutions let’s identify what bugs we’re dealing with. In my experience these are the most common culprits

1. Aphids

  • Tiny pear-shaped insects that come in green, yellow, brown, or black
  • Love sucking sap from new growth
  • Leave behind sticky honeydew that attracts mold
  • Cause leaf curling and yellowing

2. Mealybugs

  • Look like tiny cotton balls
  • Create white webbing on stems and leaves
  • Secrete honeydew that turns black with mold
  • Hide on leaf undersides

3. Spider Mites

  • Teeny-tiny moving dots (need magnifying glass to see properly)
  • Create fine webbing between leaves
  • Cause stippling (tiny light dots) on leaves
  • Leaves turn bronze or yellow

4. Caterpillars (Loopers)

  • Green or brown, about 1 inch long
  • Move in an “inching” motion
  • Active at night
  • Leave large holes in leaves

Natural Solutions That Actually Work

I’ve tried tons of different methods, and here are the ones that gave me the best results:

1. The Water Blast Method

This is my go-to first step

  1. Get your garden hose with adjustable nozzle
  2. Set to medium-strong pressure
  3. Spray affected areas, especially leaf undersides
  4. Do this early morning so leaves can dry

Pro tip: Don’t blast too hard or you’ll damage the plant!

2. Soap Spray Solution

Here’s my tried-and-true recipe:

  • 1 tablespoon mild dish soap
  • 1 quart water
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol for extra punch

Mix in spray bottle and apply to affected areas. Test on small area first!

3. Neem Oil Treatment

This is my secret weapon:

  1. Mix 2 teaspoons neem oil
  2. 1 teaspoon mild soap
  3. 1 quart water
  4. Spray in evening or early morning

Warning: Never spray neem oil during hot sunny days – trust me, I learned this the hard way when I burned my plants!

Preventive Measures

Look, getting rid of bugs is great, but preventing them is even better. Here’s what works for me:

  1. Regular Inspection
  • Check plants weekly
  • Look under leaves
  • Watch for early signs of damage
  1. Proper Watering
  • Water at base of plant
  • Avoid wetting leaves
  • Water early morning
  1. Smart Pruning
  • Remove overcrowded branches
  • Cut off heavily infested parts
  • Keep plant well-ventilated

DIY Bug Traps

Here’s a cool trick I discovered:

Yellow Sticky Traps:

  1. Cut yellow cardboard pieces
  2. Cover with petroleum jelly
  3. Hang near affected areas
  4. Replace when full of bugs

When to Call the Pros

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, infestations get outta control. Consider professional help if:

  • Infestation spreads rapidly
  • Natural methods aren’t working after 2-3 weeks
  • Plant shows severe damage

FAQ

Q: Can I use vinegar solution on bougainvillea?
A: I wouldn’t recommend it. While vinegar kills bugs, it can harm your plant too.

Q: How often should I spray neem oil?
A: Every 7-14 days until infestation clears. Then monthly for prevention.

Q: Will these methods harm beneficial insects?
A: When used correctly, these natural methods are pretty safe for good bugs like ladybugs.

Final Thoughts

Remember, healthy bougainvilleas naturally resist pests better. Focus on good plant care basics – proper watering, fertilizing, and pruning. And don’t panic if you see a few bugs – it’s normal! Just catch the problem early and stay consistent with treatment.

Got any questions about your specific bug situation? Drop a comment below – I’d love to help you out! And if you’ve got some tricks that worked for you, please share them too. We’re all in this garden journey together!

[Updated: July 2025]

how to get rid of bugs on bougainvillea

Mites; namely Spider Mites

The webspinning two-spotted spider mite occasionally makes their home on bougainvillea. To the naked eye, spider mites look like tiny moving dots. Adult females, the largest forms, are less than 1/20 inch long. Spider mites live in colonies, mostly on the under-surfaces of leaves. The names “spider mite” and “webspinning mite” come from the silk webbing most species produce on infested leaves. The presence of webbing is an easy way to distinguish them from all other types of mites. Mites cause damage by sucking cell contents from leaves. A small number of mites is not usually reason for concern, but very high populations—levels high enough to show visible damage to leaves—can be damaging to plants. At first, the damage shows up as a stippling of light dots on the leaves; sometimes the leaves take on a bronze color. As feeding continues, the leaves turn yellow and drop off. Often leaves, twigs, and fruit are covered with large amounts of webbing. Damage is usually worse when compounded by water stress. Check the undersides of leaves for mites, their eggs, and webbing; you will need a hand lens to identify them. To observe them more closely, shake a few off the leaf surface onto a white sheet of paper. Once disturbed, they will move around rapidly. Be sure mites are present before you treat. Sometimes the mites will be gone by the time you notice the damage; plants will often recover after mites have left.

Natural Control If a treatment for mites is necessary, use selective materials, preferably insecticidal soap or insecticidal oil. Petroleum-based horticultural oils or neem oils are both acceptable. Oils and soaps must contact mites to kill them so excellent coverage, especially on the undersides of leaves, is essential and repeat applications may be required. Mid-season washing with water to remove dust may help prevent serious late-season mite infestations. Regular, forceful spraying of plants with water will often reduce spider mite numbers adequately. Be sure to get good coverage, especially on the undersides of leaves.

Chemical Contol Spider mites frequently become a problem after the application of insecticides. Such outbreaks are commonly a result of the insecticide killing off the natural enemies of the mites, but also occur when certain insecticides stimulate mite reproduction. Naturally controlling mites is the best method.

Thrips are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings that cause discoloration and deformities on bougainvillea and other plants. Other common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies and corn lice. Thrips are generally tiny (1 mm long or less) and are not good flyers, although they can be carried long distances by the wind. Thrips feed by piercing plant cells with their paired maxillary stylets, which form a feeding tube. Due to their small size, cryptophilic behavior, and high rate of reproduction, thrips are difficult to control using classical biological control. Only two families of parasitoid hymenoptera are known to hunt them, the Eulophidae and the Trichogrammatidae.

Whiteflies typically feed on the underside of plant leaves. Whiteflies feed by tapping into the phloem of plants, exposing plants to the whiteflies’ toxic saliva and decreasing the plant’s overall turgor pressure. The damage is quickly elevated as whiteflies congregate in large numbers, quickly overwhelming susceptible plants. Damage is further exacerbated as whiteflies, like aphids, excrete honeydew as a waste product, which promotes mold growth. Whitefly control is difficult and complex, as they rapidly gain resistance to chemical pesticides. A major problem is the fact that the whiteflies and the viruses they carry can infect many different host plants. Use of yellow sticky traps to monitor infestations and only selective use of insecticides is advised.

Fungal and Bacterial Leaf Spot (Pseudomonas and ropogonis)

The early symptoms are small reddish-brown leaf spots which usually occur on younger foliage, and cause the leaves to look “rusty”. These enlarge into circular or irregular dark necrotic spots. When environmental conditions are drier and less favorable, leaf spots are slower to develop. Lesions have a tan center surrounded by a dark redbrown margin, and are sometimes bordered by a chlorotic halo. In time, leaf edges may become ragged as the necrotic tissue turns dry and papery. Under conditions of high rainfall or relative humidity the lesions develop quickly and are often black and vein delimited. Infection of developing leaves and bracts results in puckered, distorted growth.

Defoliation will occur when leaf spotting, blighting or marginal necrosis becomes severe.

Natural Control Maintaining dry foliage is the primary control measure. Prune branches back and away from each other or, if just starting to grow, allow a large amount of space between them. Branches that are overlapping can’t dry quickly and become more susceptible to leaf spot disease. Remove infected leaves and/or plants from the growing area. Dispose of them immediately to reduce the spreading of infection.

Chemical Control Spray fungicide in the spring if necessary. It will not cure infection that is already there, but it can control the spread of it. In frost-free climates where bougainvillea is perennial, disease incidence drops during cool and/or dry weather.

See “Aphids”, “Scale Insects: Parasites, Mealybugs”, and “Whiteflies”

Problem as a result of over-watering, under-watering, low light levels, or cold temperatures.

Yellow or tan spots appear on older leaves may be sign of Magnesium deficiency (common with yellow bougainvillea varieties), or from over-watering.

Plants that are over-watered or subjected to water logged conditions can develop root or stem rot. It’s easily prevented by careful handling and by the application of a broad spectrum fungicide drench during transplanting or planting in the landscape.

Scalloped Leaves a.k.a. “Help, Something’s Eating My Bougainvillea!”

See “Snails & Slugs” and “Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar”

How to Get Rid of Mealybugs – Part 1 of Logee’s “Pest Prevention” Series

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