What's eating my flowering tobacco?

Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) is in the nightshade family and attracts a wide range of pests: aphids and whiteflies swarm the sticky foliage, tobacco hornworm caterpillars can strip plants rapidly, and thrips scar flowers. Spider mites appear in dry conditions. Hornworm is the most dramatic threat due to rapid, heavy defoliation.

Large sections of leaves stripped overnight; huge green caterpillars with white diagonal stripes found on stems. Hand-pick (large, easy to spot); apply Bt spray targeting young larvae; look for parasitised hornworms (white wasp cocoons) and leave them.

Colonies on stems and leaf undersides; sticky honeydew; distorted new shoots. Spray insecticidal soap; use reflective mulch to repel incoming aphids; encourage parasitic wasps.

Clouds of tiny white flies when plant is disturbed; yellowing, weakened leaves; sooty mould on honeydew. Use yellow sticky traps; spray neem oil or insecticidal soap on leaf undersides; remove heavily infested leaves.

Silver-brown streaks and spots on flower petals; distorted blooms; tiny insects visible in flowers. Remove damaged flowers; apply spinosad spray; use blue sticky traps to monitor and reduce adults.