Pest identification
What's eating my buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'?
Aphids (melon-cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii)
Signs: Dense colonies of pale green to yellow aphids on shoot tips and leaf undersides; sticky honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted new growth.
Control: Blast off with a strong jet of water; encourage natural predators (ladybirds, lacewing larvae). Persistent colonies: spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Mullein moth (Cucullia verbasci) caterpillar
Signs: Distinctive yellow, black, and white caterpillars strip leaves from late spring through midsummer, leaving stems bare.
Control: Pick caterpillars off by hand — they are large and easy to spot. Biological control with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) works on young larvae.
Figwort weevil (Cionus scrophulariae)
Signs: Adults and larvae feed on shoot tips and flowers, leaving small rounded notches on leaf margins and ragged flower buds.
Control: Hand-pick adults and larvae; for heavy infestations use a contact insecticide labelled for weevils on ornamentals.
Capsid bug (Lygocoris pabulinus)
Signs: Distorted, puckered shoot tips with small holes in young leaves; damage appears in early summer as shoots expand.
Control: Damage is cosmetic on established shrubs; prune out affected tips. Insecticides are rarely needed.
Keep buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats butterfly bush — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' problems & fixes
- Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' watering schedule
- Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' light requirements
- Full buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip' care guide
Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' pests — FAQ
What is eating my buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'?
Buddleja 'Lo and Behold Blue Chip' faces the same pest pressure as other Buddleja davidii selections: aphids cluster on new shoot tips, the mullein moth caterpillar strips foliage in late spring, figwort weevils notch leaf margins, and capsid bugs distort shoot tips. Aphids are the most frequently reported problem; encourage ladybirds and lacewings as first defence.
How do I get rid of aphids (melon-cotton aphid, aphis gossypii) on buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'?
Dense colonies of pale green to yellow aphids on shoot tips and leaf undersides; sticky honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted new growth. Blast off with a strong jet of water; encourage natural predators (ladybirds, lacewing larvae). Persistent colonies: spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
How do I get rid of mullein moth (cucullia verbasci) caterpillar on buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'?
Distinctive yellow, black, and white caterpillars strip leaves from late spring through midsummer, leaving stems bare. Pick caterpillars off by hand — they are large and easy to spot. Biological control with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) works on young larvae.
How do I get rid of figwort weevil (cionus scrophulariae) on buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'?
Adults and larvae feed on shoot tips and flowers, leaving small rounded notches on leaf margins and ragged flower buds. Hand-pick adults and larvae; for heavy infestations use a contact insecticide labelled for weevils on ornamentals.
How do I get rid of capsid bug (lygocoris pabulinus) on buddleja 'lo and behold blue chip'?
Distorted, puckered shoot tips with small holes in young leaves; damage appears in early summer as shoots expand. Damage is cosmetic on established shrubs; prune out affected tips. Insecticides are rarely needed.