Pest identification
What's eating my wild pansy?
Aphids
Signs: Dense colonies on growing tips and flower stalks; sticky honeydew, curled leaves, and stunted growth.
Control: Knock off with water jets; treat with insecticidal soap or encourage natural predators such as lacewings.
Pansy sawfly (Macremphytus testaceus)
Signs: Green caterpillar-like larvae skeletonise leaves rapidly, leaving only main veins.
Control: Pick larvae off by hand; spray with pyrethrum-based insecticide for heavy infestations.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Irregular holes chewed in petals and leaves overnight; visible slime trails.
Control: Apply iron phosphate pellets; hand-pick after dark; use copper tape around containers.
Violet gall midge (Dasineura affinis)
Signs: Leaf margins roll tightly inward, enclosing small larvae; affected leaves become distorted and fail to open.
Control: Remove and destroy affected leaves promptly; improve airflow to reduce humidity.
Keep wild pansy pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Wild pansy pests — FAQ
What is eating my wild pansy?
Wild pansy (Viola tricolor) is most frequently damaged by aphids colonising soft shoot tips and violet gall midges disfiguring leaves. Slugs and snails rasp holes in petals and foliage at ground level, while pansy sawfly caterpillars can defoliate plants rapidly in spring and summer.
How do I get rid of aphids on wild pansy?
Dense colonies on growing tips and flower stalks; sticky honeydew, curled leaves, and stunted growth. Knock off with water jets; treat with insecticidal soap or encourage natural predators such as lacewings.
How do I get rid of pansy sawfly (macremphytus testaceus) on wild pansy?
Green caterpillar-like larvae skeletonise leaves rapidly, leaving only main veins. Pick larvae off by hand; spray with pyrethrum-based insecticide for heavy infestations.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on wild pansy?
Irregular holes chewed in petals and leaves overnight; visible slime trails. Apply iron phosphate pellets; hand-pick after dark; use copper tape around containers.
How do I get rid of violet gall midge (dasineura affinis) on wild pansy?
Leaf margins roll tightly inward, enclosing small larvae; affected leaves become distorted and fail to open. Remove and destroy affected leaves promptly; improve airflow to reduce humidity.