What's eating my nepenthes northiana?

Nepenthes northiana is a lowland Bornean pitcher plant grown as a tropical houseplant or in a warm greenhouse. Soft-bodied sap-suckers — particularly mealybugs and aphids — are the most likely pests. Fungus gnats can colonise the humid growing medium. Its insect-trapping pitchers catch prey but cannot protect the plant from pest attack.

Fluffy white wax on leaf joints and growing tips; honeydew leads to sticky surfaces and sooty mould; growth slows and distorts. Remove with alcohol-dipped cotton swabs. Apply insecticidal soap spray to all surfaces every 5–7 days for 3–4 weeks to break the life cycle.

Clusters of small green or black insects on new growth and pitcher lips; leaves curl; sticky honeydew attracts ants and sooty mould. Blast off with a strong jet of lukewarm water. Follow up with dilute insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; repeat every 5 days.

Larvae chew fine roots and organic matter in moist media; adults are a nuisance but larvae weaken root systems causing yellowing. Use yellow sticky traps to monitor adults. Water from the base (tray method) to keep the surface drier. Apply Bti drench to kill larvae.