Heavy infestations cover the plants with a sticky honeydew. If you can handle living with Lady bugs in the house, they will take care of any aphid problem for you. Aphids can also be controlled with malathion, diazinon, and systemic insecticides. They are extremely small and a magnifying glass is usually needed to see them. They usually attack new leaves and buds.
Plants infested with mites lose their green color and appear bronzed or washed out.
In severe cases, the mites will form a fine webbing covering the underside of leaves. Once a plant is infested with mites, control will be difficult, if not impossible. Isolate your plant immediately, and dip it or spray it weekly with insecticidal soap. Systemic insecticides are sometimes effective if used soon enough. This year it was massive.