What's eating my monarda croftway pink?

Monarda Croftway Pink shares the standard bee balm pest profile: four-lined plant bugs cause distinctive spotted leaf damage in late spring, and aphids cluster on shoot tips. Slugs damage emerging growth. Deer occasionally browse despite the aromatic foliage. Improving air circulation reduces powdery mildew, which weakens plants and makes them more pest-prone.

Round translucent or brown pits on upper leaf surfaces; easily mistaken for fungal leaf spot; worse in warm dry springs Handpick or knock into a container of soapy water. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap targeting nymphs in late spring. Cut plants back hard after bloom to remove overwintering eggs on stems.

Clustered colonies on soft growing tips and flower stems; distorted buds, sticky honeydew, sooty mould Knock off with water spray or treat with insecticidal soap. Plant near aphid predator habitat — fennel, dill, or marigolds attract beneficial insects.

Chewed and tattered young shoots emerging in spring; irregular holes; silvery slime trails on soil Scatter iron phosphate bait around crowns early in the season. Mulch with grit rather than organic material near crowns. Night patrol with a torch after rain.