Pest identification
What's eating my serrano pepper?
Aphids
Signs: Soft colonies on stem tips and leaf undersides; honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted shoot growth.
Control: Water blast; insecticidal soap or neem oil; lacewing larvae as biological control.
Spider Mites
Signs: Fine yellow stippling on upper leaf surface; webbing in hot, dry conditions; premature leaf drop.
Control: Increase irrigation frequency; neem oil; predatory mites; avoid broad-spectrum pesticides that kill mite predators.
Flea Beetles
Signs: Small round shot-holes scattered across young leaves; seedlings can be killed if heavily attacked.
Control: Cover transplants with row fabric; diatomaceous earth around stems; pyrethrin spray for heavy infestations.
Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta)
Signs: Large irregular holes in leaves and pods; plants can be stripped of foliage quickly.
Control: Hand-pick caterpillars; Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray; leave parasitised hornworms in place.
Keep serrano pepper pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Serrano Pepper pests — FAQ
What is eating my serrano pepper?
Serrano pepper faces the same pest pressure as other Capsicum annuum varieties. Aphids are the top concern, colonising growing tips rapidly. Spider mites flare up during dry, warm weather. Tobacco hornworm and corn earworm occasionally attack serrano fruits and foliage outdoors. Flea beetles create shot-hole damage on young leaves.
How do I get rid of aphids on serrano pepper?
Soft colonies on stem tips and leaf undersides; honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted shoot growth. Water blast; insecticidal soap or neem oil; lacewing larvae as biological control.
How do I get rid of spider mites on serrano pepper?
Fine yellow stippling on upper leaf surface; webbing in hot, dry conditions; premature leaf drop. Increase irrigation frequency; neem oil; predatory mites; avoid broad-spectrum pesticides that kill mite predators.
How do I get rid of flea beetles on serrano pepper?
Small round shot-holes scattered across young leaves; seedlings can be killed if heavily attacked. Cover transplants with row fabric; diatomaceous earth around stems; pyrethrin spray for heavy infestations.
How do I get rid of tobacco hornworm (manduca sexta) on serrano pepper?
Large irregular holes in leaves and pods; plants can be stripped of foliage quickly. Hand-pick caterpillars; Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray; leave parasitised hornworms in place.