What's eating my tellmann's honeysuckle?

Tellmann's honeysuckle (Lonicera x tellmanniana) faces aphids as the primary pest — colonies on tender growth distort new foliage and produce sooty mould-inducing honeydew. Thrips may damage flowers, and scale insects appear on older stems. Like all climbing honeysuckles, aphids in spring are the most consistent problem worth monitoring.

Soft colonies cluster on growing tips and flower buds, causing distorted foliage, sticky honeydew and sooty mould; can reduce flowering Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil in early spring; knock off colonies with a water jet; prune affected shoot tips and dispose of them

Silver-streaked or flecked petals and leaves; tiny dark insects or their pale nymphs visible in flowers and on undersides of leaves Use blue sticky traps to monitor; apply insecticidal soap or spinosad spray; remove and destroy heavily infested blooms

Flat, waxy brown scales encrust older stems; weakens the plant over time and produces honeydew deposits Scrub off with soapy water and a soft brush; apply horticultural oil in late winter; improve air circulation through the canopy