What's eating my deciduous azalea 'gibraltar'?

Deciduous Azalea 'Gibraltar' (a Knap Hill-Exbury hybrid) is susceptible to azalea sawfly caterpillars, vine weevil, and rhododendron leafhopper. Azalea sawfly can strip a plant nearly bare in days, making it the most dramatic summer threat. Vine weevil root damage is the most serious persistent risk.

Green caterpillar-like larvae skeletonise or completely strip leaves from summer onwards; defoliation can be severe in a single week. Inspect the undersides of leaves regularly from late spring. Handpick larvae. Spray with a contact insecticide (pyrethrum or spinosad) if numbers are high.

Notched leaf margins from adult beetles; C-shaped larvae devour roots, causing wilting and collapse. Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist soil in late summer. Avoid waterlogged soil which slows nematode efficacy.

Leaf stippling and transmission of Bud Blast fungus that blackens and kills flower buds before they open. Remove blighted buds in autumn. Spray adults with pyrethrum at petal-fall to cut back the leafhopper population.

Colonies on soft new growth in spring, causing curled and distorted shoot tips and sticky honeydew deposits. Knock off with a water jet. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray if infestation is established.