Pest identification
What's eating my anaheim pepper?
Aphids (Myzus persicae and others)
Signs: Dense colonies on shoot tips and undersides of leaves; honeydew, curled leaves, virus transmission
Control: Insecticidal soap; reflective mulch to deter winged aphids; encourage syrphid flies with umbellifers
Flea beetles
Signs: Tiny round holes peppered across young leaves; severe infestations stunt transplants
Control: Row cover over transplants; diatomaceous earth; kaolin clay spray on foliage
Pepper weevil (Anthonomus eugenii)
Signs: Adults puncture fruit and buds to feed; larvae develop inside, causing premature fruit drop
Control: Remove and destroy dropped fruit immediately; pyrethrin spray targeting adults; crop rotation
Keep anaheim pepper pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Anaheim Pepper pests — FAQ
What is eating my anaheim pepper?
Anaheim Pepper, a mild California chile, is most troubled by aphids, which cluster densely on new growth and spread pepper viruses. Flea beetles riddle transplants with holes early in the season, and pepper weevils are a serious regional pest in the southern US. In home gardens, hornworms occasionally attack foliage.
How do I get rid of aphids (myzus persicae and others) on anaheim pepper?
Dense colonies on shoot tips and undersides of leaves; honeydew, curled leaves, virus transmission Insecticidal soap; reflective mulch to deter winged aphids; encourage syrphid flies with umbellifers
How do I get rid of flea beetles on anaheim pepper?
Tiny round holes peppered across young leaves; severe infestations stunt transplants Row cover over transplants; diatomaceous earth; kaolin clay spray on foliage
How do I get rid of pepper weevil (anthonomus eugenii) on anaheim pepper?
Adults puncture fruit and buds to feed; larvae develop inside, causing premature fruit drop Remove and destroy dropped fruit immediately; pyrethrin spray targeting adults; crop rotation