What's eating my nepenthes tenuis?

Nepenthes tenuis, one of the smallest Sumatran highland Nepenthes, is particularly vulnerable to mealybugs due to its tight leaf axils and slow growth rate. Spider mites pose a secondary risk when humidity is insufficient. Prompt manual removal is essential — this tiny species cannot sustain prolonged pest pressure.

Cottony white deposits in leaf axils and at the base of developing pitchers; sap loss is disproportionately damaging on this miniature species Apply 70% isopropyl alcohol with a fine-tipped cotton swab directly to each colony; check every 5 days; systemic imidacloprid (soil drench) for persistent cases

Pale flecking and fine webbing on the tiny leaves; pitchers shrivel prematurely if infestation is heavy Restore humidity to 70–80%; gently rinse foliage; isolate from other plants; apply dilute neem (quarter-strength) only if manual control fails

Hard brown oval bumps along stems; honeydew leads to sooty mould on leaf surfaces Scrape scales off gently with a soft toothbrush; follow with an alcohol swab; monitor weekly for re-emergence from eggs