Pest identification
What's eating my banana mint?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on new shoot tips; leaves curl downward; sticky honeydew promotes sooty mould.
Control: Knock off with a water jet, then spray with insecticidal soap. Encourage beneficial insects like lacewings. Pinch out heavily infested tips.
Mint flea beetles (Longitarsus waterhousei)
Signs: Tiny round pits or shot-holes across leaf surfaces; adult beetles jump when disturbed.
Control: Remove affected foliage. Use row cover netting to exclude beetles early in the season. Insecticidal soap sprays reduce adults, but repeated applications are needed.
Spider mites
Signs: Pale stippling on leaves; fine webbing under leaves in hot, dry weather; foliage looks bronzed.
Control: Keep soil evenly moist and mist foliage during dry spells. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap spray every 5–7 days for three rounds.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes in soft young leaves and stems, particularly at ground level after wet weather.
Control: Hand-pick at night, apply iron phosphate pellets, or use copper tape around containers. Thin crowded growth to improve airflow at the base.
Keep banana mint pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Banana Mint pests — FAQ
What is eating my banana mint?
Banana Mint (Mentha arvensis 'Banana') faces the same pests as most outdoor mints. Aphids and spider mites are the most frequent attackers, joined by mint flea beetles that pit the leaves. Slugs target young plants. Despite its strong scent, mint is far from pest-proof — inspect the undersides of leaves regularly.
How do I get rid of aphids on banana mint?
Dense colonies on new shoot tips; leaves curl downward; sticky honeydew promotes sooty mould. Knock off with a water jet, then spray with insecticidal soap. Encourage beneficial insects like lacewings. Pinch out heavily infested tips.
How do I get rid of mint flea beetles (longitarsus waterhousei) on banana mint?
Tiny round pits or shot-holes across leaf surfaces; adult beetles jump when disturbed. Remove affected foliage. Use row cover netting to exclude beetles early in the season. Insecticidal soap sprays reduce adults, but repeated applications are needed.
How do I get rid of spider mites on banana mint?
Pale stippling on leaves; fine webbing under leaves in hot, dry weather; foliage looks bronzed. Keep soil evenly moist and mist foliage during dry spells. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap spray every 5–7 days for three rounds.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on banana mint?
Ragged holes in soft young leaves and stems, particularly at ground level after wet weather. Hand-pick at night, apply iron phosphate pellets, or use copper tape around containers. Thin crowded growth to improve airflow at the base.