PlantPal

Fresh holes or chewed leaf edges

Check for a live chewer before treating old holes.

A box tree moth caterpillar feeding on a leaf.
A box tree moth caterpillar feeding on a leaf. Photo: Franz van Duns · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized and converted for display.

What to check first

Look under leaves, along stems and around the pot for caterpillars, fresh pellets of droppings or signs of slugs. Ragged holes can have other causes, too.

What to do now

If you find a caterpillar you can safely identify and remove, lift it off with a tool or gloves. Leave sound leaves in place and skip sprays for old holes alone.

What to watch next

Check again the next morning or after dark if new holes appear. Fresh chewing means there may still be a visitor to identify.

Sources