What's eating my hoya vitiensis?

Hoya vitiensis, like all hoyas, is most threatened indoors by mealybugs and spider mites. These sap-sucking pests exploit the thick, waxy leaves and the warm, dry conditions typical of indoor growing. Inspect leaf axils and stem joints regularly, especially in winter when heating reduces humidity.

White cottony masses in leaf joints and along stems; sticky honeydew and sooty mold follow Dab colonies with a 70% isopropyl alcohol-soaked cotton swab; apply neem oil spray weekly for 3–4 weeks; isolate the plant immediately

Fine stippling on leaves, silvery webbing on undersides, eventual leaf yellowing in dry conditions Rinse foliage under lukewarm water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; raise humidity around the plant

Brown or tan shell-like bumps on stems and leaf undersides; leaves yellow and vine growth stalls Scrape off with a soft toothbrush dipped in rubbing alcohol; follow up with horticultural oil every 2 weeks