What's eating my begonia pustulata?

Begonia pustulata, an indoor tropical, is most troubled by mealybugs hiding in leaf axils and along stems, plus spider mites in dry air and fungus gnats in soggy soil. Inspect undersides of its distinctive puckered leaves regularly. Good air circulation and avoiding overwatering prevent the majority of pest problems.

White cottony clusters in leaf axils and stem joints; leaves yellow and growth stalls. Dab colonies with a cotton swab soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol; follow up with neem oil spray weekly for a month.

Fine webbing on undersides of leaves; foliage develops pale stippling and may bronze. Raise humidity, rinse foliage with a strong water stream, then apply insecticidal soap or neem oil every 5–7 days.

Larvae feed on fine roots causing wilting; adults are a nuisance flying around the soil. Allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry between waterings; use yellow sticky traps and drench with Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti).