What's eating my clematis 'henryi'?

Clematis 'Henryi' is a large-flowered white cultivar that blooms on old and new wood. Aphids are the most frequent pest on new growth, while slugs and snails threaten the crown. Because older woody growth is retained, scale insects can occasionally establish on stems over time if the plant is not monitored.

Sticky, puckered shoot tips in spring and early summer; honeydew leading to sooty mould Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; physically remove colonies; draw in beneficial predators

Chewed emerging stems and leaf margins at ground level; worst in wet, mild weather Apply iron phosphate pellets; mulch with sharp grit; hand-pick under torchlight after dark

Hard waxy bumps on stems; yellowing and reduced vigour in heavily colonised plants Remove with a stiff brush; apply plant-based oil spray during the crawler stage in early summer