What's eating my kohleria 'dark velvet'?

Kohleria 'Dark Velvet' has densely hairy, dark foliage that conceals spider mites and thrips until damage is advanced. Mealybugs nest deep in velvety axils. Inspect the undersides of leaves regularly and treat at first sign. Low indoor humidity in winter is the main trigger for spider mite outbreaks on this cultivar.

Pale stippling or bronzing on dark leaves — harder to spot until severe; webbing between leaves; overall plant looks dusty or faded rather than rich dark-green. Increase humidity with a pebble tray or humidifier. Treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap spray weekly, covering all surfaces. Remove heavily infested leaves immediately.

Silver streaks and distortion on flowers and upper leaf surfaces; black frass dots on undersides; buds may not open or may brown at the tips. Strip affected blooms and bin them. Spray with spinosad, insecticidal soap, or neem oil on a weekly cycle. Blue sticky traps near the plant monitor adult activity.

White waxy fluff deep in hairy stem axils and leaf bases; difficult to spot until the colony is large; causes wilting and lack of new growth. Use a fine-tipped alcohol swab to reach into axils. Douse the whole plant with neem oil spray and repeat every 7–10 days for at least three rounds.