What's eating my texas bluebonnet subsp.?

Texas Bluebonnet (Lupinus subcarneus) shares the pest profile of the state flower. Aphids, especially the large pale lupine aphid, are the primary threat. Caterpillars and grasshoppers chew foliage, while slugs target seedlings. Deer browse plants where they co-occur. Overall pest pressure is moderate on this tough Texas native annual.

Colonies on tender tips and leaf undersides; distorted growth and sticky honeydew. Knock off with water; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil; allow beneficial insect populations to establish.

Chewed, irregular holes in leaves; grasshopper damage often heaviest at field margins in dry summers. Hand-pick caterpillars; apply Bt for loopers; encourage birds and parasitic wasps.

Seedlings and young rosettes eaten at soil level; slime trails left on nearby soil and plants. Scatter iron phosphate pellets; water in the morning; use rough grit around plant bases.