Visible Insects or Other Pests on the Roots or in the Soil

There are insects or other pests on the roots or in the soil.

This symptom may be caused by a number of problems. You may either view the list of possible causes, or select from the list of additional symptoms below in order to narrow down your search.

Note: This section is intended to help you identify insects or other pests based on their physical characteristics alone. If you are unable to make a definitive identification based on these descriptions, it may be more helpful to do a search based on the other symptoms you see. To do this, click on the "New Diagnosis" button at the bottom of this or any other Doctor Optimara page.

• List of possible causes.

Additional Symptoms

• Visible insects or related pests fit the following description: The adults are dark gray beetles which measure about 3/8 inch in length. Its larvae are white with brown heads. They measure about 1/2 inch in length and have no legs. The larvae will be found burrowed in the soil, where they feed on the roots.
• Visible insects fit the following description: They are flying insects which measure about 1/16 inch in length. They are dark in color, usually brown, dark gray or black in color. Those found around African Violets will typically be swarming around the plant in a dark cloud. They may also be found feeding on the leaf and flower debris which gather on the surface of the soil.
• Visible insects or related pests fit the following description: They are insects measuring 1/4 to 3/4 inch in length. They are brown in color, and they have a pair of large pincers on their tails. They feed by night. During the day, they will normally be found beneath the leaf and flower debris which gather on the surface of the soil.
• Visible insects or related pests fit the following description: They are arthropods which measure 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length. They are gray in color with shell-like bodies, and they have seven pairs of legs. Some will roll up into a ball when threatened. They will normally be found taking shelter beneath the leaf and flowers debris which gather on the surface of the soil.
• Visible insects or related pests fit the following description: They are insects which measure about 1/16 inch in length, and they are white or light gray in color. Because of their very small size and color, they often resemble tiny grains of rice in the soil or on the rootball.
• Visible insects or related pests fit the following description: They look similar to centipedes with their long, segmented bodies, but they are much smaller, measuring 1/16 to 1/4 inch in length. They have 10 to 12 pairs of legs, long antennae, and they are usually white or light gray in color. They often take shelter beneath the leaf and flower debris on the surface of the soil, but they may also be found crawling on the rootball.

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