I just got this plant two days ago (Friday) and noticed what looks like worms in the soil (they are moving). What should I do? Please help me! Thanks!

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I guess you could try some kind of insect killer for houseplants, but from my experience, Calathea's are very sensitive to everything and love to turn their tip's brown, that's why I would just go with changing the soil completly.

Sorry I can't identify those critter for you, I was thinking maybe millipedes, but i've never seen white ones before, but i could be wrong. Hopefully someone will come along and give you better advise and identify those things for you.

Goodluck
-FPT

You said yours are all white and do not have the black head capsule so it's unlikely they're fungus gnats.

I would move it away from my other plants and return ASAP since you've only had it a couple of days.

Linda

If you aren't prepared to repot your plant, I'd take it back. Repotting might just do the trick though I sure as heck wouldn't soak it in alcohol for a couple of hours! Or even a couple of minutes, lol. Plantmastern, where did you hear that?

You could try something like soaking the soil with poison, like neem oil maybe?? I've never tried it, so i can't really give you adice on it.

BUT....you just got the plant...whatever they are, is the fault of where you bought the plant or the nurery it was raised at...so give it back to them...I know it's hard to get rid of a plant you really love...but the plant is gonna die and your disappointment is going to be worse. So you should choose something very quick...like maybe today.

Those are pretty much your choices regardless of whatever the critters might be. They're more then likely eating away at the roots this very moment. So if you decide to change the soil and the roots look bad...take it back right away, don't risk it, so examin the roots very carefully!!

-carmen

Though, if they are soft-bodied and on the surface, is it possible you (or the place you got it from) could have overwatered it? Dead roots would be perfect food for flies, and combined with a moist environment, they would have free roam in the pot.

Millipedes generally feed on decaying plant matter, like you'd find in any organic "potting soil" or from dropped leaves, etc, so they're pretty good candidates.

Did these guys show up after watering? Like earthworms, I think that draws them out to get some air. You could potentially kill them all individually, but there could be eggs as well, and they may have places to hide unseen.

Not sure what you can use to kill millipedes as a soil treatment (what works on insects or even spiders isn't guaranteed to work on them). You can test things like detergent solution on the adults you see, but eggs may survive even if it kills them, and you'd likely need repeated applications to get all of the adults (you'd also have to saturate the soil with water quite a bit, which could just attract more or other critters).

A little googling suggests that replacing the soil and rinsing the roots well before repotting would probably do the trick. I'd do that anyway, if they're still in the original soil--they could probably stand at the very least to be put in something amended heavily with perlite or the like, as the current soil looks very water retentive [you can start a new thread or search the forum for more advice on potting media than you can stand :) ].

Millipedes, springtails, fungus gnats and some other bugs and beasties are drawn to moist conditions due to the decay processes happening with organic materials, so this is one of the advantages to soils that are mostly inorganic.

For treatment: in my experience, all little ecosystems in my plants from the nursery just vanish, perhaps from the "dry spells" I...may or may not accidentally give them... And if the plant is healthy, I wouldn't worry TOO much about unidentified soil bugs (myriapods, if my guess is correct.)

The way that the bodies curve really signal to me that they have legs all the way down their sides so I am not budging from millipede (they should be harmless, but that's where my knowledge stops on them.)

I'm really asking....educate me. I am open to new information.

TeenG, We try to make recommendations for specific reasons, rather than 'it can't hurt', which in this case you really don't know if that is true.

UniqueD,

I doubt cinnamon will work for this, it's specifically recommended as anti-fungal, (& maybe anti-bacterial).

Some of these recently arrived folks really should consider whether or not they should be giving advice. Which is quite DIFFERENT than saying something worked for them.

You noobies w/ the bugs. I won't be sharing anymore bug prevention tips.

You all need to RETURN BUG LADEN PLANTS TO THE STORE WHERE PURCHASED. Period. They're very contagious & likely to spread to your other plants. Quarantine all newly purchased plants, for at least a month. Period.

1. Quarantine all newly-purchased plants and return them at the first sign of bugs. I was looking at a hoya in Lowe's recently and noticed mealies. I washed my hands thoroughy when I got home (without the plant)

2. Saying cinnamon can't hurt is the same as saying you don't know. What if the bugs fed on it? = : O

And rhizo is right, too: Even us oldbees don't know it all and wish to be educated. So, plantmasterm, please tell us why you used the soak, on what plants and if it was diluted or full strength (the alcohol; not the plant LOL). I hope not, but I might need that cure in the future.

Linda

PS: OP took advice and returned plants to store.

Cinnamon works great on plants w/rot. Last year I was told to sprinkle Cinnamon on a succulent 'top rot' from an expert grower on C&S Forum. Cinnamon did the job. The plant is alive and well.
However, I doubt it would rid/kill insects or if they'll eat the spice.

I don't want to sound like the voice of doom, but often, worms, spiders, etc are found in house plant soil.

Although I detest spiders and 'pedes, I sometimes find them in new plants AND my plants that are summered outdoors.

Finding a harmless insect is fairly common, 'even though I fear bugs,' but when Mealy, Mites, Scale, etc is present, it's best to return the plant. ASAP. And always isolate, until the infested plant can be returned.

When I shop locally, I check for bugs, but inspecting doesn't always work. Eggs are well-hidden, and eventually hatch.
I also shop online, which is risky, but I find plants not sold in my area.

I didn't read every post on this thread..did the insects have legs? Toni

If you viewed the part of my post regarding your use of alcohol as rude I do apologize. I am truly interested. If you don't want to post publicly, email me privately.

Linda

This might be a good time for good old diatomaceous earth. A couple of tablespoons sprinkled on the top of the soil will cause some real problems for whatever-the-heck these things are without adding a toxic substance. Be sure to use horticultural or food grade DE and not the stuff used for pool filters. Won't hurt ANYTHING but any kind of arthropod meandering around in the potting medium.

Toni, I agree with you about being a bit put off when I see assorted livestock swarming around in the soil of a newly purchased plant. I can't think of ANY time when that would be a good thing, lol. At the very least, it speaks to poor maintenance practices at the garden center.

Linda

With that being said, thanks to everyone again and believe me, the questions will continue!