Pest identification
What's eating my ghost pepper?
Aphids
Signs: Sticky residue and curled leaves on new growth; colonies visible on stem junctions and leaf undersides.
Control: Strong water spray; neem oil or insecticidal soap; introduce ladybirds or parasitic wasps.
Thrips
Signs: Silvery-bronze streaking on leaves and developing pods; distorted flowers that drop before setting fruit.
Control: Blue sticky traps; remove heavily infested leaves; spinosad spray; introduce Amblyseius cucumeris predatory mites.
Spider Mites
Signs: Fine stippling on leaves turning bronze; fine webbing between leaves and stems in hot, dry conditions.
Control: Increase humidity; spray forcefully with water; apply neem oil or predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis).
Pepper Weevil (Anthonomus eugenii)
Signs: Larvae tunnel inside pods causing premature drop; adults notch leaf edges and feed on developing buds.
Control: Remove and destroy fallen pods promptly; pyrethroid insecticide on severe infestations; practice crop rotation.
Keep ghost pepper pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Ghost Pepper pests — FAQ
What is eating my ghost pepper?
Ghost pepper plants are targeted by aphids, pepper weevils, and spider mites, particularly in hot dry spells. Despite the extreme capsaicin content deterring many mammals, aphids show no aversion. Thrips cause silvering on leaves in warm climates. Slugs may attack young plants before the capsaicin builds in leaf tissue.
How do I get rid of aphids on ghost pepper?
Sticky residue and curled leaves on new growth; colonies visible on stem junctions and leaf undersides. Strong water spray; neem oil or insecticidal soap; introduce ladybirds or parasitic wasps.
How do I get rid of thrips on ghost pepper?
Silvery-bronze streaking on leaves and developing pods; distorted flowers that drop before setting fruit. Blue sticky traps; remove heavily infested leaves; spinosad spray; introduce Amblyseius cucumeris predatory mites.
How do I get rid of spider mites on ghost pepper?
Fine stippling on leaves turning bronze; fine webbing between leaves and stems in hot, dry conditions. Increase humidity; spray forcefully with water; apply neem oil or predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis).
How do I get rid of pepper weevil (anthonomus eugenii) on ghost pepper?
Larvae tunnel inside pods causing premature drop; adults notch leaf edges and feed on developing buds. Remove and destroy fallen pods promptly; pyrethroid insecticide on severe infestations; practice crop rotation.