What's eating my gloriosa daisy?

Gloriosa Daisy (Rudbeckia hirta) attracts aphids, cucumber beetles, and caterpillars, especially in midsummer. As a short-lived perennial or biennial grown in open borders, it also draws deer and rabbits. Aphids and cucumber beetles are the most consistent problems. Healthy plants in full sun with good air circulation resist serious infestations well.

Colonies on stem tips, buds, and flower stalks; honeydew attracts sooty mould; distorted shoot tips. Spray firmly with water to dislodge. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray every 5–7 days for persistent colonies. Encourage ladybirds and lacewings.

Petals and leaves chewed with irregular holes; yellow-striped or spotted beetles visible on flowers in full sun. Hand-pick beetles in the morning. Apply pyrethrin spray or kaolin clay as a feeding deterrent. Floating row cover protects young transplants.

Ragged holes in leaves and petals; frass visible on foliage; stems may be notched on young plants. Hand-pick caterpillars at dusk. Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray to foliage targeting young larvae.

Entire plants browsed to the ground overnight, especially at the garden edge or where plants are isolated. Apply commercial deer/rabbit repellent spray; reapply every 7–10 days and after rain. Use wire fencing or motion-activated deterrents in high-pressure gardens.