Pest identification
What's eating my celery?
Celery aphid (Cavariella aegopodii) & green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)
Signs: Colonies on leaf undersides and petioles; leaf curl, honeydew, sooty mould; transmit celery mosaic and carrot red leaf viruses
Control: Use reflective silver mulch to deter alates; blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage parasitic wasps and lacewings
Parsleyworm / celeryworm (Papilio polyxenes larva)
Signs: Green-and-black striped caterpillars chew stems and foliage; damage is dramatic-looking but rarely crop-threatening; heaviest feeding in final larval stage
Control: Hand-pick and relocate (it becomes the black swallowtail butterfly); apply Bt if populations are large; plant dill nearby as a sacrificial host
Celery leafminer (Euleia heraclei)
Signs: Larvae tunnel between leaf surfaces creating pale blotchy mines; stalks with tunnels are unmarketable; weakens plants if severe
Control: Use fine mesh fleece over young plants; remove and destroy mined leaves; use yellow sticky traps; avoid killing parasitoids with broad-spectrum sprays
Slugs and snails
Signs: Feed at soil level on young transplants and at the base of stalks; irregular holes and slime trails; worst in cool moist weather
Control: Apply iron phosphate pellets; set beer traps; use copper tape around containers; water in the morning rather than evening to reduce surface moisture
Keep celery pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats celery — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What eats celery — our other guide for the same plant
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common celery problems & fixes
- Celery watering schedule
- Celery light requirements
- Full celery care guide
Celery pests — FAQ
What is eating my celery?
Celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) faces pressure from multiple pests, but aphids are the most consistent problem, with around 12 species recorded on the crop. The parsleyworm (black swallowtail caterpillar) feeds on stems and leaves but is rarely severe. Slugs attack at soil level and leafminers leave unsightly tunnels in stalks.
How do I get rid of celery aphid (cavariella aegopodii) & green peach aphid (myzus persicae) on celery?
Colonies on leaf undersides and petioles; leaf curl, honeydew, sooty mould; transmit celery mosaic and carrot red leaf viruses Use reflective silver mulch to deter alates; blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage parasitic wasps and lacewings
How do I get rid of parsleyworm / celeryworm (papilio polyxenes larva) on celery?
Green-and-black striped caterpillars chew stems and foliage; damage is dramatic-looking but rarely crop-threatening; heaviest feeding in final larval stage Hand-pick and relocate (it becomes the black swallowtail butterfly); apply Bt if populations are large; plant dill nearby as a sacrificial host
How do I get rid of celery leafminer (euleia heraclei) on celery?
Larvae tunnel between leaf surfaces creating pale blotchy mines; stalks with tunnels are unmarketable; weakens plants if severe Use fine mesh fleece over young plants; remove and destroy mined leaves; use yellow sticky traps; avoid killing parasitoids with broad-spectrum sprays
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on celery?
Feed at soil level on young transplants and at the base of stalks; irregular holes and slime trails; worst in cool moist weather Apply iron phosphate pellets; set beer traps; use copper tape around containers; water in the morning rather than evening to reduce surface moisture