Pest identification
What's eating my leucanthemum × superbum 'becky'?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on shoot tips and flower buds; distorted growth, sticky honeydew, and sooty mould.
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil; blast with water; encourage ladybirds and parasitic wasps.
Earwigs (Forficula auricularia)
Signs: Ragged, irregular holes in petals and leaves, with feeding mainly at night; petals may appear tattered.
Control: Trap in rolled newspaper or upturned pots filled with straw; shake plants at night and collect earwigs.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Large irregular holes in young leaves and crowns, especially in spring and after rain.
Control: Use ferric phosphate pellets; apply grit mulch; hand-pick after dark.
Leaf miners (Chromatomyia syngenesiae)
Signs: Pale winding tunnels visible on leaf surfaces as larvae mine between leaf layers.
Control: Remove and destroy affected leaves; for severe outbreaks on many plants, use a systemic insecticide approved for ornamentals.
Keep leucanthemum × superbum 'becky' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Becky' pests — FAQ
What is eating my leucanthemum × superbum 'becky'?
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Becky' (Shasta daisy) is beloved by aphids and earwigs. Slugs shred young foliage in spring. Chrysanthemum leaf miner tunnels through leaves. Rabbits and deer will graze plants readily. Despite this pest list, 'Becky' is tough and recovers well when problems are caught early.
How do I get rid of aphids on leucanthemum × superbum 'becky'?
Dense colonies on shoot tips and flower buds; distorted growth, sticky honeydew, and sooty mould. Spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil; blast with water; encourage ladybirds and parasitic wasps.
How do I get rid of earwigs (forficula auricularia) on leucanthemum × superbum 'becky'?
Ragged, irregular holes in petals and leaves, with feeding mainly at night; petals may appear tattered. Trap in rolled newspaper or upturned pots filled with straw; shake plants at night and collect earwigs.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on leucanthemum × superbum 'becky'?
Large irregular holes in young leaves and crowns, especially in spring and after rain. Use ferric phosphate pellets; apply grit mulch; hand-pick after dark.
How do I get rid of leaf miners (chromatomyia syngenesiae) on leucanthemum × superbum 'becky'?
Pale winding tunnels visible on leaf surfaces as larvae mine between leaf layers. Remove and destroy affected leaves; for severe outbreaks on many plants, use a systemic insecticide approved for ornamentals.