Avoid Bugs
Keeping An Eye Out For Damage
Pests are called pests for a reason! They love to chew on our flowers, causing damage and not-so-great results when pressing. But, we can't give the little guys too much hate, they're just doing their job!
If you can, avoid pressing flowers that seem to be popular hang-out spots for bugs. Even if you don't see any damage at first, defects can be magnified once pressed and become more easily visible. While you may not see the damage right away, but it's very possible that once it's pressed, you'll find spots that weren't there when it went in.
Insects like Plant Bugs and Leafhoppers can inject a plant toxin while feeding which may either deform or destroy flower buds. Other bugs like Aphids and mealybugs leave behind a shiny sticky appearing substance which can attract mold growth. There are many different kinds of pests that can destroy plants, and while they may not mean to, they can really mess with our flower pressing!
Sometimes it's unavoidable because you can't see it, but your best chance is to avoid picking any flowers that have bugs on them. Odds are, if they're on the flower, they're snacking away!
Happy Picking and Pressing!
-Microfleur
