What's eating my satin pellionia (trailing watermelon begonia)?

Satin Pellionia's trailing, moisture-loving habit makes it prone to fungus gnats and spider mites, particularly when grown in terrariums or high-humidity setups. Mealybugs can accumulate along the trailing stems. As a small, delicate plant, early detection matters — check stem joints and leaf undersides at every watering and act promptly.

Pale stippling and faint bronzing on the patterned foliage; webbing at growing tips in dry conditions Maintain humidity above 55%; spray neem oil solution to leaf undersides weekly; avoid placing near heating vents

Fluffy white clusters at stem nodes and leaf axils along trailing stems; affected growth yellows and shrivels Treat with 70% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab; follow with insecticidal soap spray; isolate from other plants

Adults fly near soil surface; larvae damage the shallow, fibrous roots of this low-growing plant Allow soil surface to dry; use yellow sticky traps; apply Bti drench to eliminate larvae in moist growing media