This pest is kind of beautiful but also terrible. What is it? Any tips for how to get rid of it, besides cleaning all the leaves?
As others have said, it's some type of scale insect. A telltale sign is that they are mostly arranged on the middle line of the leaves, where, I imagine, it's easiest to hook into the plant's nutrients.
First thing to do is get it as far away as possible from any other plants you hold dear. Until it's sorted out, avoid cross contamination via your hands and tools as well. After that, you'll have to find some type of poison to kill them. Scales can be very resistant to external methods, something that is delivered via the plant's juices that they feed on might be easiest. Or you could spend weeks diligently rubbing the leaves and stems with alcohol to rid of them, to possibly no avail.
(I am not very fond of scales.)
Thanks. And yes, I am also starting to be less and less fond of these creatures. Any idea how these little assholes got to my house in the first place? Wind?
Do you have other plants near that one? I have a plant that when it flowers drops of little flowers like those ones on the left (red and white balls)
No, we dont. And they're pretty stuck on the leaves. I think its Stellate scale, as others mentioned. But thanks for thinking along!
Can you get a photo of leaf damage and/or the underside of the leaves? To me they look like a spider mite species but I don't see webbing that typically forms on the underside of the leaves. Alternatively, do they scrape off easily or adhere to the surface?
Regardless of the species you need to clean the leaves. Wipe both sides down with a paper towel covered in dish soap, ideally spray the whole thing with neem oil.
