What's eating my climbing oleander?

Climbing Oleander (Strophanthus gratus) is a tropical Apocynaceae vine that is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs — the classic sap-sucker trio that attacks most plants in this family. It is generally considered relatively pest-resistant, but infestations build quickly in warm, sheltered or indoor growing conditions.

White cottony masses in leaf joints and along stems; honeydew and sooty mold accumulate; shoots weaken and distort. Remove with isopropyl alcohol swabs; follow up with insecticidal soap sprays every 10 days for 3–4 cycles.

Colonies on soft new growth; leaves curl and become sticky; ants tending colonies signal a large infestation. Dislodge with water; apply neem oil or insecticidal soap. Encourage lacewings and ladybirds as natural enemies.

Fine webbing and pale stippling on leaf surfaces; foliage yellows and drops if mites go untreated in dry conditions. Rinse foliage, raise local humidity, and spray with neem oil every 7 days until webbing and stippling cease.