What's eating my dianthus 'doris'?

Dianthus 'Doris', a classic salmon-pink border carnation, faces aphids as its most consistent pest. Slugs damage young foliage at soil level, thrips distort flowers in warm summers, and carnation tortrix moth caterpillars may bind and eat growing tips. Good drainage and air flow prevent most outbreaks.

Clusters on stems and buds; sticky honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted flower buds. Can spread virus diseases. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil, targeting growing tips and undersides of leaves. Encourage ladybirds and hoverflies.

Ragged holes in leaves and stems near soil level; silvery slime trails present in morning. Apply iron phosphate slug pellets around plants. Lay grit or crushed eggshell as a physical barrier. Hand-pick at night after rainfall.

Tiny silver-white streaks or flecking on petals and buds; flowers become distorted; worst in hot, dry summers. Remove heavily infested flower stems. Spray with insecticidal soap or spinosad; keep plants well-watered to reduce heat stress.

Caterpillars bind growing tips together with silky threads and feed inside, causing brown, papery shoot dieback. Unroll bound leaves and crush caterpillars by hand. Spray with a pyrethrin-based insecticide or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) if infestations are heavy.