Pest identification
What's eating my ivyleaf morning glory?
Tortoise beetles
Signs: Circular holes and skeletonized patches on leaves; both adults and larvae feed actively through summer.
Control: Hand-pick; apply spinosad or pyrethrin; remove egg masses from leaf undersides.
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on shoot tips; distorted leaves, honeydew, and sooty mold develop with heavy infestations.
Control: Blast with water; insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; attract ladybirds and lacewings.
Spider mites
Signs: Pale stippling on leaf surfaces; webbing under leaves; worst in hot and dry summer conditions.
Control: Mist foliage; apply neem oil to leaf undersides; miticide if populations are established.
Keep ivyleaf morning glory pest-free
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Ivyleaf morning glory pests — FAQ
What is eating my ivyleaf morning glory?
Ivyleaf morning glory is targeted by tortoise beetles and caterpillars that chew foliage, and by aphids on new growth. As a common garden weed in some regions it is highly adaptable, but ornamental plantings still suffer from tortoise beetle defoliation and aphid buildup. Spider mites flare during hot dry spells. Tortoise beetles are the main recurring pest.
How do I get rid of tortoise beetles on ivyleaf morning glory?
Circular holes and skeletonized patches on leaves; both adults and larvae feed actively through summer. Hand-pick; apply spinosad or pyrethrin; remove egg masses from leaf undersides.
How do I get rid of aphids on ivyleaf morning glory?
Dense colonies on shoot tips; distorted leaves, honeydew, and sooty mold develop with heavy infestations. Blast with water; insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; attract ladybirds and lacewings.
How do I get rid of spider mites on ivyleaf morning glory?
Pale stippling on leaf surfaces; webbing under leaves; worst in hot and dry summer conditions. Mist foliage; apply neem oil to leaf undersides; miticide if populations are established.