A List of Valentines Flowers (and the Pests That Love It)

There’s nothing like a bouquet of flowers to make your significant other’s day extra special. Unfortunately, some insects like them, too, and they would go through any lengths just to get close to a single bloom. And if you let them, these vermin would ruin your otherwise perfect date!

So it’s up to you to keep these pests out of your flowers—and out of your life for all that matter! Better ask assistance from pest control services so that they can purge your home and your plants of these vermin. And just in case you don’t know which bug infests which bud, here are a few examples:

 

 

Roses

Let’s start with the most popular romantic flower, the rose. You might not know it, but it’s also popular among the insect universe. Pests who crave for it include aphids, two-spotted mites, thrips, rose slugs, caterpillars, Japanese beetles, nematodes, leaf cutting bee, metallic flea-beetles, and many more.

 

Daisies

As the symbol of beauty, purity, and innocence, daisies come in shades of red, orange, yellow, and cream. Aside from those rose-destroying bugs like aphids, two-spotted spider mites, nematodes, and thrips, other insects take an interest in these lovely buds, including broad mites, cyclamen mites, leafminers, and whiteflies.

 

Tulips

Classic and affordable, tulips exhibit an aura of comfort and warmth, a fact well-noted by various species of aphids, bulb flies, bulb mites, foliage-feeding caterpillars, snails and slugs, and spider mites who want nothing more than to make themselves at home inside these wonderful Valentine’s flowers.

 

Lilies

Like daisies, lilies come in a variety of species and colors as well as in different distinct markings. Thus, it also attracts several types of aphids, thrips, and bulb flies and bulb mites together with armored scale insects, carrot beetles, cucumber beetles, hoplia beetles, leafminers, root knot nematodes, and snails and slugs.

 

Carnations

Carnations symbolizes new love and fascination, and it makes an ideal first-ever Valentine’s gift. However, bugs are also fascinated by these ruffled blooms, such as various species of aphids, foliage-feeding caterpillars, root knot nematodes, thrips, weevils, soft scaled insects, gail and bud mites, and others.

 

Sunflowers

Like the sun it symbolizes, sunflowers represent warmth and happiness. As it is, this flower also attracts hundreds of diverse insects who are looking for a good time. These pests include flower thrips, sunflower stem weevil, spider mites, leafhoppers, glassy-winged sharpshooters, carrot beetles, aphids, and foliage-feeding caterpillars.

 

Irises

Blue and purple irises represent royalty while white and yellow ones symbolize faith and loyalty. Insects that set their sights on this fantastic Valentine’s bloom include aphids, foliage-feeding caterpillars, lesser bulb flies, spider mites, whiteflies, thrips, hoplia beetles, and snails and slugs.

 

Gardenias

A gardenia also symbolizes purity alongside joy, and it basically represents old-fashioned love. However, that doesn’t stop pests from “keeping their hands off” these buds! Insects that love gardenias include ladybugs, aphids, mealybugs, and many others.

 

Flowers make a great Valentine’s gift, there’s no doubt about that! But please make sure nobody’s living inside the buds or else your significant other might throw a fit neither of you wants! Should you need any assistance, you know where to call!