What's eating my calathea beauty star?

Calathea Beauty Star is most troubled by spider mites, which thrive when humidity drops below the level this plant demands. Thrips damage the pinstripe patterning, mealybugs colonise the centre crown, and fungus gnats appear in soggy soil. Keeping humidity high and soil moisture balanced prevents the majority of pest problems on this cultivar.

Stippled, faded leaf surfaces with webbing underneath; leaves curl and brown at edges Mist regularly, wipe leaves, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap spray every 5–7 days for 3–4 weeks

Silvery streaks along leaf surfaces; pinstripe markings become dull; sticky black frass present Isolate and treat with spinosad spray; remove heavily scarred leaves and use blue or yellow sticky traps

Cottony white deposits in the crown and at leaf-stem junctions; honeydew and sooty mould develop Alcohol swab all visible mealybugs, then drench and spray with neem oil solution; repeat weekly

Adults hover around soil; larvae feed on fine roots causing wilting despite moist soil Let the top inch of soil dry out between waterings; apply BTi drench; place yellow sticky traps at soil level