What's eating my aquilegia 'black barlow'?

Aquilegia 'Black Barlow' shares the columbine family's defining pest: the leaf miner, whose pale tunnels crisscross foliage by early summer. The doubled, spurred-less flowers also attract aphids on stems. Sawfly larvae can strip foliage rapidly. Cut back to ground level after bloom for clean second-season growth.

Pale serpentine tunnels visible through upper leaf surfaces; leaves yellow and desiccate prematurely. Remove and dispose of affected leaves; cut the plant to the ground after bloom; avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer that produces soft, attractive foliage.

Clusters on flower stems and emerging buds cause stem distortion and sticky honeydew; dark sooty mold follows. Spray with insecticidal soap or pyrethrin; strong water jet removes colonies; ladybugs are effective natural predators.

Larvae devour leaf margins and interior tissue, leaving skeletonized or completely eaten leaves. Inspect undersides of leaves; remove larval clusters by hand; insecticidal soap spray provides rapid knockdown.