What's eating my crystal butterwort?

Pinguicula crystallina is a Mediterranean butterwort whose flat, slightly glandular leaves provide modest protection but do not stop aphids, spider mites, or botrytis. In dry indoor air, spider mites become the leading threat, forming fine webbing under leaves. Fungus gnats breed in the moist mineral substrate. Botrytis strikes in cool, stagnant conditions.

Tiny dots of stippling across leaves with fine webbing underneath; leaves curl and yellow in dry, warm indoor air. Raise humidity around the plant and mist occasionally. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth or targeted spray of neem-free insecticidal soap — test on one leaf first.

Larvae tunnel in the moist mineral/perlite mix, damaging shallow roots and causing the flat leaf rosette to collapse. Yellow sticky traps for adults; switch the top layer of substrate to coarse sand. Water from below only.

Fuzzy grey patches appear on leaves or at the rosette centre in low-light, low-airflow winter conditions. Remove affected leaves with sterile scissors and increase air circulation. Avoid misting in winter. Keep the growing area above 8 °C.