What's eating my zantedeschia 'captain violetta'?

Zantedeschia 'Captain Violetta' is a purple-spathed garden calla. Aphids colonise flower stems and leaf axils most readily. Slugs and snails cause overnight damage to new foliage. Thrips scar the decorative spathes with silver streaks. Planting in well-drained soil and checking regularly after wet weather prevents the worst damage.

Clusters on new growth and flower stems; honeydew and sooty mould develop; virus transmission risk. Spray with insecticidal soap weekly; encourage parasitic wasps and ladybirds; avoid excess nitrogen that draws aphids.

Shredded or holed foliage and slime trails; young emerging shoots particularly vulnerable in spring. Apply iron phosphate pellets; use copper barriers on pots; hand-pick at night after rain.

Pale silvery streaks and stippling on the purple spathe, reducing ornamental value significantly. Spray with spinosad-based insecticide; remove heavily damaged spathes; under glass, introduce predatory mites.