What's eating my pimento pepper?

Pimento peppers face aphids, pepper weevils, and hornworms as primary threats. Aphids cluster on new growth and undersides of leaves, stunting plants. In warm gardens, spider mites can also flare in dry spells. Row covers at transplant and regular scouting keep most pests manageable.

Dense colonies on shoot tips and leaf undersides; sticky honeydew leads to sooty mold and distorted new growth Blast off with a strong water jet; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage ladybugs and parasitic wasps

Adults puncture developing fruit and flower buds; larvae tunnel inside young peppers, causing premature drop Hand-pick and destroy affected fruit; remove dropped fruit promptly; use row covers early in season; pyrethrin spray as last resort

Large green caterpillars strip foliage rapidly and can devour entire branches overnight Hand-pick; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) at first sign; parasitic wasps (Braconid) provide biological control

Fine stippling on leaves; thin webbing on undersides in hot, dry weather; leaves yellow and drop Increase humidity; spray with water or insecticidal soap; neem oil; avoid over-applying broad-spectrum pesticides that kill natural predators