What's eating my begonia 'merry christmas'?

Begonia rex 'Merry Christmas', beloved for its red-and-green holiday coloring, is most often troubled by mealybugs nesting in rhizome grooves and leaf axils. Spider mites are a year-round risk in centrally heated homes, dulling the vivid foliage. Thrips scar new growth. Inspect every week and maintain 45–55% relative humidity.

White fluffy colonies at leaf bases and along rhizomes; leaves yellow and lose color vibrancy. Treat with isopropyl alcohol swabs; apply neem oil or insecticidal soap spray on a 7-day cycle.

Pale stippling fades the rich red-green pattern; webbing present on leaf undersides. Raise humidity above 45%; spray insecticidal soap thoroughly on undersides every 5–7 days.

Silver streaks and scarring on newly emerging leaves; growth may be distorted. Apply spinosad or insecticidal soap; use blue sticky traps and quarantine affected plants.