Pest identification
What's eating my cobaea scandens?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on shoot tips; curled, distorted leaves; sticky honeydew attracting ants and sooty mould.
Control: Squash by hand or blast with water jet; use insecticidal soap spray; release ladybird or lacewing larvae as biological control.
Red spider mite
Signs: Yellow stippling on upper leaf surface; fine webbing on undersides; premature leaf drop in hot, dry weather.
Control: Keep plants well-watered and mist regularly to raise humidity; apply Phytoseiulus persimilis predatory mites; use miticide as a last resort.
Whitefly
Signs: Small white flying insects on undersides of leaves; yellowing foliage; sticky deposits leading to sooty mould.
Control: Yellow sticky traps; insecticidal soap spray on undersides of leaves; Encarsia formosa parasitic wasps under glass.
Keep cobaea scandens pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Cobaea scandens pests — FAQ
What is eating my cobaea scandens?
Cup-and-saucer vine is frequently attacked by aphids on tender new growth and by red spider mite in warm, dry spells. Slugs and snails damage seedlings badly at the base. Glasshouse whitefly is a serious problem when the plant is overwintered under cover.
How do I get rid of aphids on cobaea scandens?
Dense colonies on shoot tips; curled, distorted leaves; sticky honeydew attracting ants and sooty mould. Squash by hand or blast with water jet; use insecticidal soap spray; release ladybird or lacewing larvae as biological control.
How do I get rid of red spider mite on cobaea scandens?
Yellow stippling on upper leaf surface; fine webbing on undersides; premature leaf drop in hot, dry weather. Keep plants well-watered and mist regularly to raise humidity; apply Phytoseiulus persimilis predatory mites; use miticide as a last resort.
How do I get rid of whitefly on cobaea scandens?
Small white flying insects on undersides of leaves; yellowing foliage; sticky deposits leading to sooty mould. Yellow sticky traps; insecticidal soap spray on undersides of leaves; Encarsia formosa parasitic wasps under glass.