Pest identification
What's eating my buddleja 'miss ruby'?
Mullein moth caterpillars (Cucullia verbasci)
Signs: Distinctively patterned caterpillars rapidly strip foliage and may destroy flower buds from late spring to midsummer.
Control: Hand-pick and destroy caterpillars; apply Bt spray at first sight of feeding damage.
Aphids (including foxglove aphid)
Signs: Colonies on soft shoot tips and bud clusters; honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted foliage.
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage aphid predators by avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides.
Spider mites
Signs: Fine grey stippling and bronzed foliage with webbing underneath in hot, dry conditions.
Control: Improve soil moisture; spray undersides of leaves with insecticidal soap or introduce Phytoseiulus persimilis mites.
Rabbits
Signs: Clean angled gnaw cuts on young stems at the base; worse in winter when other food is scarce.
Control: Fit wire-mesh guards around stems to 60 cm height; use repellent granules or spray around the plant base.
Keep buddleja 'miss ruby' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Buddleja 'Miss Ruby' pests — FAQ
What is eating my buddleja 'miss ruby'?
'Miss Ruby' buddleja shares the species' attraction to caterpillars, with mullein moth being the most damaging pest. Aphids — including the foxglove aphid — attack new growth and flower buds. Spider mites flare up in dry summers. Deer and rabbits may browse young plants. Its compact form can make pest monitoring slightly easier.
How do I get rid of mullein moth caterpillars (cucullia verbasci) on buddleja 'miss ruby'?
Distinctively patterned caterpillars rapidly strip foliage and may destroy flower buds from late spring to midsummer. Hand-pick and destroy caterpillars; apply Bt spray at first sight of feeding damage.
How do I get rid of aphids (including foxglove aphid) on buddleja 'miss ruby'?
Colonies on soft shoot tips and bud clusters; honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted foliage. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage aphid predators by avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides.
How do I get rid of spider mites on buddleja 'miss ruby'?
Fine grey stippling and bronzed foliage with webbing underneath in hot, dry conditions. Improve soil moisture; spray undersides of leaves with insecticidal soap or introduce Phytoseiulus persimilis mites.
How do I get rid of rabbits on buddleja 'miss ruby'?
Clean angled gnaw cuts on young stems at the base; worse in winter when other food is scarce. Fit wire-mesh guards around stems to 60 cm height; use repellent granules or spray around the plant base.