Pest identification
What's eating my delta pure white pansy?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on shoot tips and around flower buds; honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted growth.
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; use strong water jet to dislodge; encourage predatory insects.
Pansy sawfly (Macremphytus testaceus)
Signs: Larvae rapidly eat leaf tissue leaving only the main veins; plants can be stripped in days.
Control: Inspect undersides of leaves regularly; hand-pick larvae; apply pyrethrum for heavy infestations.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Petals and leaf margins eaten with ragged edges; silver slime trails on foliage and soil.
Control: Use iron phosphate pellets around plants; water in the morning; hand-pick at dusk.
Violet gall midge (Dasineura affinis)
Signs: Leaf margins roll tightly inward, trapping larvae inside; distorted, stunted leaves that fail to unfurl.
Control: Remove and destroy affected leaves immediately; do not compost; improve airflow around plants.
Keep delta pure white pansy pest-free
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Delta Pure White pansy pests — FAQ
What is eating my delta pure white pansy?
Delta Pure White pansy (Viola × wittrockiana) faces aphids as the top threat, congregating on pale flower buds and shoot tips. Pansy sawfly larvae skeletonise leaves in warm months. Slugs and snails damage flowers and foliage at ground level, and violet gall midge can distort leaves in humid conditions.
How do I get rid of aphids on delta pure white pansy?
Dense colonies on shoot tips and around flower buds; honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted growth. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; use strong water jet to dislodge; encourage predatory insects.
How do I get rid of pansy sawfly (macremphytus testaceus) on delta pure white pansy?
Larvae rapidly eat leaf tissue leaving only the main veins; plants can be stripped in days. Inspect undersides of leaves regularly; hand-pick larvae; apply pyrethrum for heavy infestations.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on delta pure white pansy?
Petals and leaf margins eaten with ragged edges; silver slime trails on foliage and soil. Use iron phosphate pellets around plants; water in the morning; hand-pick at dusk.
How do I get rid of violet gall midge (dasineura affinis) on delta pure white pansy?
Leaf margins roll tightly inward, trapping larvae inside; distorted, stunted leaves that fail to unfurl. Remove and destroy affected leaves immediately; do not compost; improve airflow around plants.