Pest identification
What's eating my japanese kerria?
Aphids
Signs: Small green or black insects on shoot tips; sticky honeydew; slight leaf curl on new growth
Control: Blast off with water; insecticidal soap spray; natural predator populations typically control them without intervention
Rose sawfly / rose slug (Endelomyia aethiops)
Signs: Skeletonized or windowpane-translucent patches on leaves; pale green slug-like larvae on undersides
Control: Hand-pick larvae; apply insecticidal soap or spinosad to undersides of leaves in late spring
Caterpillars
Signs: Irregular holes or entire leaves consumed; rolled leaves sheltering small caterpillars
Control: Hand-pick; apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray; tolerate light damage on established plants
Keep japanese kerria pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Japanese kerria pests — FAQ
What is eating my japanese kerria?
Japanese kerria is generally pest-resistant, but aphids cluster on young shoots in spring. Leaf spot diseases are more common than insect pests. Caterpillars occasionally feed on foliage. In North American gardens, rose slugs (sawfly larvae) — which attack related Rosaceae — sometimes appear and skeletonize leaves.
How do I get rid of aphids on japanese kerria?
Small green or black insects on shoot tips; sticky honeydew; slight leaf curl on new growth Blast off with water; insecticidal soap spray; natural predator populations typically control them without intervention
How do I get rid of rose sawfly / rose slug (endelomyia aethiops) on japanese kerria?
Skeletonized or windowpane-translucent patches on leaves; pale green slug-like larvae on undersides Hand-pick larvae; apply insecticidal soap or spinosad to undersides of leaves in late spring
How do I get rid of caterpillars on japanese kerria?
Irregular holes or entire leaves consumed; rolled leaves sheltering small caterpillars Hand-pick; apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray; tolerate light damage on established plants