Pest identification
What's eating my hybrid trumpet vine?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on shoot tips and flower buds; sticky honeydew attracts sooty mould
Control: Hose off with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; attract natural predators such as parasitic wasps
Trumpet vine moth / sphinx moth caterpillars
Signs: Large irregular holes in leaves; defoliation of individual stems in severe outbreaks
Control: Hand-pick caterpillars; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray when caterpillars are young
Leaf-cutter bees
Signs: Neat semicircular notches cut from leaf margins (bees use cuttings for nest cells)
Control: Generally tolerate — damage is cosmetic and bees are beneficial pollinators; no chemical control recommended
Keep hybrid trumpet vine pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Hybrid trumpet vine pests — FAQ
What is eating my hybrid trumpet vine?
Hybrid trumpet vine (Campsis × tagliabuana) faces aphids on fresh growth, hummingbird clearwing moths whose caterpillars chew foliage, and powdery-mildew pressure that weakens plants. Leaf-cutter bees create clean circular holes but rarely cause serious harm. Aphids on new growth are the most reliably recurring pest.
How do I get rid of aphids on hybrid trumpet vine?
Dense colonies on shoot tips and flower buds; sticky honeydew attracts sooty mould Hose off with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; attract natural predators such as parasitic wasps
How do I get rid of trumpet vine moth / sphinx moth caterpillars on hybrid trumpet vine?
Large irregular holes in leaves; defoliation of individual stems in severe outbreaks Hand-pick caterpillars; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray when caterpillars are young
How do I get rid of leaf-cutter bees on hybrid trumpet vine?
Neat semicircular notches cut from leaf margins (bees use cuttings for nest cells) Generally tolerate — damage is cosmetic and bees are beneficial pollinators; no chemical control recommended