What's eating my nuphar lutea?

Yellow pond lily faces leaf-mining flies whose larvae leave distinctive blotchy mines in floating pads, plus aphids on stems and emerging leaves. Water lily beetles skeletonise pad surfaces in summer. Waterfowl and muskrats eat rhizomes and pads in wildlife ponds. Healthy, established rhizomes typically recover from seasonal pest damage without intervention.

White or brownish blotchy mines inside floating leaf pads; affected sections turn yellow and rot Remove and destroy mined leaves promptly; no chemical treatment needed for ornamental plants — natural predators manage populations

Adults and larvae skeletonise the upper surface of floating pads, leaving brown papery patches Submerge leaves briefly with a hose to dislodge beetles and larvae; remove egg masses from leaf undersides; introduce natural predators

Dense colonies on stems and leaf undersides; yellowing, stunted growth, sticky honeydew Hose off with water; encourage ladybirds and lacewings; submerge leaves to allow fish to eat aphids

Rhizomes dug up and eaten; pads torn and removed from large areas of pond Protect rhizomes with wire mesh baskets; accept some grazing in wildlife ponds as natural behaviour