What's eating my clematis 'rebecca'?

Clematis 'Rebecca' is a large-flowered red clematis that aphids find particularly attractive — the vivid buds are colonised in spring and early summer. Earwigs chew the petals of open flowers at night. Slugs attack young stems at the base. As a container-grown clematis, watch for vine weevil grubs in the compost.

Sticky, distorted shoot tips and flower buds; sooty mold on honeydew deposits Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; wash off with water jet; avoid excess nitrogen fertiliser

Petals eaten and irregular holes in open flowers, especially on wall-trained plants Trap in straw-stuffed upturned pots; remove by hand with a torch at night

In pots, white C-shaped grubs destroy the root system; plant wilts and collapses suddenly Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist compost in late summer or early autumn