Pest identification
What's eating my begonia 'varsity red'?
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes chewed through leaves and petals, with visible slime trails on soil and foliage.
Control: Use iron phosphate pellets; hand-pick at night; avoid overhead watering that keeps soil surface wet.
Vine weevil
Signs: U-shaped notches on leaf edges from adults; grubs sever roots causing sudden wilt in pots.
Control: Drench containers with beneficial nematodes in late summer to autumn; repot and remove white grubs by hand.
Aphids
Signs: Colonies on shoot tips causing curled, sticky leaves and reduced flowering.
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil; repeat weekly until clear.
Keep begonia 'varsity red' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Begonia 'Varsity Red' pests — FAQ
What is eating my begonia 'varsity red'?
Wax begonia 'Varsity Red' faces similar threats to other semperflorens types: slugs in garden beds, vine weevil grubs in containers, and aphids on soft new growth. The red pigmentation does not deter pests. Outdoors in damp conditions, slugs cause the most visible damage.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on begonia 'varsity red'?
Ragged holes chewed through leaves and petals, with visible slime trails on soil and foliage. Use iron phosphate pellets; hand-pick at night; avoid overhead watering that keeps soil surface wet.
How do I get rid of vine weevil on begonia 'varsity red'?
U-shaped notches on leaf edges from adults; grubs sever roots causing sudden wilt in pots. Drench containers with beneficial nematodes in late summer to autumn; repot and remove white grubs by hand.
How do I get rid of aphids on begonia 'varsity red'?
Colonies on shoot tips causing curled, sticky leaves and reduced flowering. Spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil; repeat weekly until clear.