Pest identification
What's eating my leucanthemum × superbum 'snowcap'?
Aphids
Signs: Green or black colonies on shoot tips and flower buds; distorted growth and sticky deposits.
Control: Strong water spray or insecticidal soap; encourage predators; neem oil as a contact spray.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Low compact habit makes foliage especially accessible; holes and slime trails common at crown level.
Control: Apply ferric phosphate pellets; lay a grit mulch; hand-pick in the evening.
Earwigs (Forficula auricularia)
Signs: Tattered petals and irregular holes in leaves from nocturnal feeding.
Control: Use rolled newspaper or flowerpot traps near plants; collect and remove earwigs each morning.
Keep leucanthemum × superbum 'snowcap' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Snowcap' pests — FAQ
What is eating my leucanthemum × superbum 'snowcap'?
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Snowcap', a compact dwarf Shasta daisy, faces the same pest pressures as taller cultivars. Aphids colonise buds and new shoots. Slugs and snails damage the lower compact foliage, which stays closer to the ground and is more accessible. Earwigs disfigure the white petals, especially in late summer.
How do I get rid of aphids on leucanthemum × superbum 'snowcap'?
Green or black colonies on shoot tips and flower buds; distorted growth and sticky deposits. Strong water spray or insecticidal soap; encourage predators; neem oil as a contact spray.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on leucanthemum × superbum 'snowcap'?
Low compact habit makes foliage especially accessible; holes and slime trails common at crown level. Apply ferric phosphate pellets; lay a grit mulch; hand-pick in the evening.
How do I get rid of earwigs (forficula auricularia) on leucanthemum × superbum 'snowcap'?
Tattered petals and irregular holes in leaves from nocturnal feeding. Use rolled newspaper or flowerpot traps near plants; collect and remove earwigs each morning.