Green beetles are a rather rare phenomenon in the potting soil of houseplants. Find out here what kind of beetles are, whether they can be dangerous for your plants and how you can efficiently get rid of the little crawlers.
What are these green beetles in my potting soil?
The green beetle on your potting soil is probably aRose beetle Its larvae are beneficial insects and ensure the decomposition of organic material in the compost heap. The rose beetle is about two centimeters long, golden-greenish and has a thick, shiny metallic body.
Is the green beetle in potting soil dangerous for plants?
The protected rose beetle is one of the scarab beetles. He is particularly noticeable because of his fascinatingly shiny body. Its larvae remain in the soil for up to two years. The white grubs, up to five centimeters long, do not cause any damage to the plants during this time. On the contrary, you ensure the formation of humus in the compost. However, in the limited space of the flower pot they cancause a lot of damage because they cannot find enough dead material and eat he althy plant parts.
How do I get rid of the green beetle in the potting soil?
The rose beetle is a protected species and must therefore not be destroyed. You can effectively get rid of the beetle with the following measures:
- Place the infected flower pot in a larger container filled with water.
- After a few minutes the earth is completely flooded. The larvae flee the water and crawl to the surface to breathe.
- Now you can easily collect the animals.
- Put the larvae in the compost heap or in the forest.
- Let your potted plant drain well again.
Tip
How to get rid of rose beetle larvae in large flower pots
Large flower pots are not as easy to flood as small flower pots. Therefore, sieving the earth is recommended here. Remove all of the infected soil and check whether there are no larvae hiding in the roots. Ideally, shake the root ball lightly without injuring it. Sift the soil and collect any larvae.
