Pest identification
What's eating my begonia 'black velvet'?
Mealybugs
Signs: White powdery clusters sheltered in velvety leaf texture and rhizome grooves; honeydew and sooty mold follow.
Control: Use an alcohol-tipped swab carefully on leaf surfaces; treat with neem oil spray, avoiding saturation of velvety foliage.
Spider mites
Signs: Fine bronze stippling on leaf surfaces; webbing on undersides when infestation is heavy.
Control: Increase humidity to 50%+; spray undersides with insecticidal soap on a weekly schedule.
Thrips
Signs: Silver-streaked scarring on the dark velvety leaves ruins the ornamental value.
Control: Remove damaged foliage; apply spinosad or insecticidal soap, and use blue sticky traps to catch adults.
Keep begonia 'black velvet' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Begonia 'Black Velvet' pests — FAQ
What is eating my begonia 'black velvet'?
Begonia rex 'Black Velvet' is an indoor begonia with velvety dark foliage that is attractive to mealybugs, which hide in the textured leaf surface and rhizome crevices. Spider mites thrive if air is too dry, and thrips scar the distinctive leaves. Velvet-textured leaves need gentle inspection — harsh washing damages them.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on begonia 'black velvet'?
White powdery clusters sheltered in velvety leaf texture and rhizome grooves; honeydew and sooty mold follow. Use an alcohol-tipped swab carefully on leaf surfaces; treat with neem oil spray, avoiding saturation of velvety foliage.
How do I get rid of spider mites on begonia 'black velvet'?
Fine bronze stippling on leaf surfaces; webbing on undersides when infestation is heavy. Increase humidity to 50%+; spray undersides with insecticidal soap on a weekly schedule.
How do I get rid of thrips on begonia 'black velvet'?
Silver-streaked scarring on the dark velvety leaves ruins the ornamental value. Remove damaged foliage; apply spinosad or insecticidal soap, and use blue sticky traps to catch adults.