What's eating my lemon basil?

Lemon Basil is attractive to aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites, particularly in warm and dry conditions. Outdoors, slugs and caterpillars will chew holes in the tender leaves. The lemon-scented oils offer some natural deterrence, but infestations still occur. Insecticidal soap handles most sap-sucking pests; hand-pick caterpillars or use Bacillus thuringiensis spray.

Dense colonies of green or black soft insects on shoot tips and new leaves; curling, distorted growth; sticky honeydew dripping onto lower leaves. Rinse plants under a hose or tap. Spray with insecticidal soap, targeting stem tips and leaf undersides. Repeat every five to seven days and avoid over-feeding with nitrogen.

Clouds of tiny white insects rising when the plant is disturbed; yellowing leaves; sooty mould on honeydew deposits. Hang yellow sticky traps near plants. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray to leaf undersides weekly. Ensure good airflow and avoid crowding plants together.

Larger, irregular holes in leaves than aphid feeding; frass (dark droppings) on leaves; visible caterpillars resting on stems or soil by day. Hand-pick caterpillars and drop into soapy water. Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray to leaves; caterpillars ingest it when feeding and die within days. Safe for edible herbs.