What's eating my begonia 'midnight twist'?

Begonia rex 'Midnight Twist', with its spiraling dark leaves, attracts mealybugs into its tight leaf folds and rhizome base. Spider mites attack in dry, centrally heated rooms. Thrips leave telltale silver streaking across the swirled foliage. Check the innermost leaf spirals where pests hide best and maintain humidity around 50%.

White cottony residue inside leaf spirals and at rhizome base; leaves yellow and growth slows. Carefully dab inside curls with isopropyl alcohol; follow with neem oil or insecticidal soap spray weekly.

Stippled, dull foliage with fine webbing especially on leaf undersides during low humidity. Raise indoor humidity; rinse leaves gently and apply insecticidal soap every 5–7 days.

Silvery streaking and distortion of newly emerging swirled leaves. Spray with spinosad-based insecticide or insecticidal soap; use blue sticky traps and remove damaged leaves.