What's eating my emperor tulip?

Emperor tulips (Tulipa fosteriana) are large, showy cultivars particularly attractive to squirrels and deer. Slugs attack the thick, broad leaves in spring. Aphids colonise stems and can carry tulip breaking virus. The large, eye-catching flowers also attract bird pecking, especially from sparrows and house sparrows in the UK.

Bulbs dug up and eaten before or shortly after planting; empty holes in borders. Wire mesh pinned over beds; bulb cages; planting in containers with wire lids; repeated checks in autumn and early winter.

Holes in broad basal leaves and emerging flower buds; slime trails on soil. Iron-phosphate pellets; evening hand-picking; grit or sharp-sand mulch around emerging growth.

Soft colonies on stems and undersides of leaves; honeydew, sooty mould, and potential virus transmission causing streaked petals. Insecticidal soap spray; encourage natural predators; remove heavily infested stems.

Petals pecked and shredded, especially red and yellow flowers; flowerheads dismantled before fully open. Loosely drape fleece or netting over bed at bud stage; iridescent ribbon deterrents; interplant with less-attractive species.