Pest identification
What's eating my red morning glory?
Tortoise beetles
Signs: Round to irregular holes in leaves; gold or mottled adults and bristly larvae chew through leaf blades.
Control: Hand-pick; pyrethrin or spinosad spray; destroy egg clusters found on undersides of leaves.
Aphids
Signs: Small soft insects on shoot tips and flower buds; stunted growth, honeydew, and sooty mold follow heavy infestations.
Control: Strong water spray; insecticidal soap; neem oil; encourage beneficial insects.
Leaf miners
Signs: Winding pale tunnels visible through the leaf surface, caused by fly larvae feeding inside the leaf tissue.
Control: Remove and bin affected leaves; yellow sticky traps to catch adult flies; avoid killing parasitic wasps with broad-spectrum sprays.
Keep red morning glory pest-free
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Red morning glory pests — FAQ
What is eating my red morning glory?
Red morning glory hosts the same Ipomoea pest set: tortoise beetles chewing leaf holes, aphids on tender shoots, and leaf miners creating pale tunnels. Being a smaller, finer-leaved annual, it is less targeted by large caterpillars than moonflower but still benefits from regular inspection. Tortoise beetles are the most commonly reported leaf-feeding pest.
How do I get rid of tortoise beetles on red morning glory?
Round to irregular holes in leaves; gold or mottled adults and bristly larvae chew through leaf blades. Hand-pick; pyrethrin or spinosad spray; destroy egg clusters found on undersides of leaves.
How do I get rid of aphids on red morning glory?
Small soft insects on shoot tips and flower buds; stunted growth, honeydew, and sooty mold follow heavy infestations. Strong water spray; insecticidal soap; neem oil; encourage beneficial insects.
How do I get rid of leaf miners on red morning glory?
Winding pale tunnels visible through the leaf surface, caused by fly larvae feeding inside the leaf tissue. Remove and bin affected leaves; yellow sticky traps to catch adult flies; avoid killing parasitic wasps with broad-spectrum sprays.