Transplanting to new sterile soil after washing the roots is another way to control them. Thrips are small, thin pests, the young being yellow and the adults brown or black. The adults are winged and tend to fly around the plant when disturbed. They rasp the plant tissue and suck the juice, leaving silver specks on the surface. Their black droppings are small but you can still see them on a badly infested plant.
Females leave a small scar on the tissue where they deposit their eggs.
Decent control can be achieved with the same materials used on aphids. Whiteflies are small pests that hide and feed on the undersides of leaves. They suck the plant juices, leaving foliage pale or discoloured. These little guys are hard to get rid of because they fly around and seem to built up immunity to insecticide as fast as you can apply it. Pesticide applications, especially indoors should be a last resort.