Pest identification
What's eating my cayenne pepper?
Aphids
Signs: Colonies on stem tips; honeydew and sooty mould on leaves; stunted, curling new growth.
Control: Dislodge with water jet; insecticidal soap; neem oil; attract hoverflies with companion flowers.
Spider Mites
Signs: Stippled, bronzed leaves; fine webs around leaf axils, worst in hot and dry spells.
Control: Mist foliage to raise humidity; neem oil; introduce Phytoseiulus persimilis predatory mites.
Thrips
Signs: Silvery scars and streaks on pods and leaves; distorted pods and blossom drop.
Control: Blue sticky traps; spinosad spray; remove affected material; Amblyseius cucumeris for biological control.
Slugs & Snails
Signs: Ragged holes in seedling leaves and stems at soil level; slime trails left overnight.
Control: Iron phosphate pellets; copper collars; beer traps; hand-pick at dusk.
Keep cayenne pepper pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Cayenne Pepper pests — FAQ
What is eating my cayenne pepper?
Cayenne pepper is most commonly damaged by aphids and spider mites, both of which tolerate capsaicin well. Slugs threaten young transplants before stem tissue is woody. Pepper weevil is a serious problem in warmer US regions. Thrips scar the thin-walled pods, reducing market quality and fruit set in hot weather.
How do I get rid of aphids on cayenne pepper?
Colonies on stem tips; honeydew and sooty mould on leaves; stunted, curling new growth. Dislodge with water jet; insecticidal soap; neem oil; attract hoverflies with companion flowers.
How do I get rid of spider mites on cayenne pepper?
Stippled, bronzed leaves; fine webs around leaf axils, worst in hot and dry spells. Mist foliage to raise humidity; neem oil; introduce Phytoseiulus persimilis predatory mites.
How do I get rid of thrips on cayenne pepper?
Silvery scars and streaks on pods and leaves; distorted pods and blossom drop. Blue sticky traps; spinosad spray; remove affected material; Amblyseius cucumeris for biological control.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on cayenne pepper?
Ragged holes in seedling leaves and stems at soil level; slime trails left overnight. Iron phosphate pellets; copper collars; beer traps; hand-pick at dusk.