Question
I was worried these bugs were in my water?  Is it something that just developed in the water over time?  I did empty the water and rinsed all the marbles out and refilled it and watched it and the bugs were back a day later.  If I do this for a few days in a row will the bugs eventually all be gone?  Thanks for the help.

Answer
Hi Audrey,

After Lucky Bamboo are kept in water for a long time, the stems and roots sometimes start to slowly rot. The little critters you see are inside the rotting stems. Weekly changing of water helps a lot to prevent the stem and root rot. In your case, several consecutive rinsings may remove the bugs, but it is hard to get rid of them once they are inside the plant tissue.

I generally recommend moving Lucky Bamboo (They are actually Dracaena cuttings rooting in water) into small pots filled with soil after about a year. If done properly, this will allow the cuttings to develop roots that grow in soil and are able to absorb soil nutrients and grow more vigorously. This usually takes care of the bug problems, as well.

I have written an article on Lucky Bamboo that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

If this information has been helpful, please click the Rate Volunteer bar below and enter a rating and nomination for me. I am a volunteer on this site so Ratings are the only compensation I receive for answering plant questions.

Need more information? Visit my website at www.HorticulturalHelp.com
or email me at [email protected] or call me at 917-887-8601 (EST)
 
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC