Pest identification
What's eating my barbecue rosemary?
Rosemary beetle (Chrysolina americana)
Signs: Adults and larvae consume foliage from August through April; repeated attacks weaken stems used for cooking skewers
Control: Hand-pick or shake off; check under foliage for larvae; apply pyrethrum in serious infestations
Spittlebug / froghopper
Signs: Cuckoo-spit blobs on stems May–June; nymphs are harmless enough that treatment is rarely worth the effort
Control: Remove by hand or water jet; tidy dead foliage in autumn; no chemical treatment normally justified
Aphids
Signs: Occasional light colonies on young shoots in spring; honeydew and slight leaf curl
Control: Crush by hand or blast with water; natural predators typically control them without intervention
Keep barbecue rosemary pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats rosemary — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What eats barbecue rosemary — our other guide for the same plant
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common barbecue rosemary problems & fixes
- Barbecue Rosemary watering schedule
- Barbecue Rosemary light requirements
- Full barbecue rosemary care guide
Barbecue Rosemary pests — FAQ
What is eating my barbecue rosemary?
Barbecue rosemary, with its thick upright stems ideal for skewers, faces rosemary beetle as its main pest — adults and larvae strip leaves from late summer onward. Spittlebugs create frothy masses in early summer. The plant's aromatic oils deter many generalist garden pests, limiting the overall pest range.
How do I get rid of rosemary beetle (chrysolina americana) on barbecue rosemary?
Adults and larvae consume foliage from August through April; repeated attacks weaken stems used for cooking skewers Hand-pick or shake off; check under foliage for larvae; apply pyrethrum in serious infestations
How do I get rid of spittlebug / froghopper on barbecue rosemary?
Cuckoo-spit blobs on stems May–June; nymphs are harmless enough that treatment is rarely worth the effort Remove by hand or water jet; tidy dead foliage in autumn; no chemical treatment normally justified
How do I get rid of aphids on barbecue rosemary?
Occasional light colonies on young shoots in spring; honeydew and slight leaf curl Crush by hand or blast with water; natural predators typically control them without intervention