What's eating my passiflora edulis?

Passiflora edulis (passion fruit) is attacked by several serious pests in its edible fruiting role. Passion vine hopper, mealybugs, and scale insects sap stems and foliage. Fruit flies lay eggs in ripening fruit. Spider mites affect plants under stress. Caterpillars of passion vine butterflies defoliate rapidly; woodpeckers and birds peck ripening fruit.

White waxy cottony clusters at leaf axils and stem joints; sticky honeydew, sooty mold, and wilting Dab with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; introduce Cryptolaemus beetles for heavy infestations

Waxy white tufts on shoots; sap-sucking weakens stems and spreads disease; honeydew promotes mold Remove by hand and spray with insecticidal soap; ensure good air circulation; monitor from early spring

Larvae burrow inside ripening fruit, causing rot and premature drop; small entry punctures on skin Use protein bait traps; pick fruit slightly before full ripeness; bag developing fruit with organza covers

Fine speckling, bronzing, and premature leaf drop; fine webbing on undersides of leaves in hot, dry conditions Increase humidity; spray undersides with neem oil or insecticidal soap; introduce predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis)