Pest identification - Lupin

[LexLucre]

Hi,

I've had an infestation of something completely decimate a Lupin and wondered if anyone could provide an identification and any options for removal. My googling skills are letting me down on this one.

I've tried squishing them but there are so many, and the many stalks and edges of a Lupin makes it an impossible task. A spray of a generic bug spray (bug clear I think) didn't achieve very much, but it says it's for aphids and catapillars.

[Bigmallly]

Lupin Aphid?

[Bigmallly]

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=653

[Guest]

Looks like an aphid. Are the others black? Sometimes the dark ones have been parasitized. Keep squishing, you can spray with soapy water or wait for the lady bug spawn to arrive.

Edit: Ignore me. I didn't realise there were specific aphids for lupins. You learn something everyday

[LexLucre]

Id read about Lupin aphids but didn't think these were those, as they aren't green as per the lupin aphid photos, and they appear to be munching the leaves rather than sucking the sap.

There's barely any foliage left. I suppose it's possible something else has been eating them

[LexLucre]

They're all white like in the photo

[Guest]

You could try an upturned pot with straw in it raised of the ground and see if you have many earwigs. Can't think what else would possibly munch lupins.

[Jungle Jane]

You could have a look at them tonight with a torch & see if there's any slugs on the plants? Or check nearby under pots? Aphids wouldn't do much harm to plants but slugs are cunning coming out at night & hiding during the day.

[Zelenina]

Yes it's probably slugs or snails doing the munching sneakily at night, or on wet days when you're not out. All I can see in the photo is an aphid and they don't munch, they suck. I can't see them doing much damage to lupins (which grow like weeds in my garden) and the ladybirds will come along after a while and eat them if you don't use any sprays.

[DannyK]

It looks like lupin aphid. Nasty big grey things which can soon cover the stems.
You need a systemic like Bug Clear Ultra, the plain Bug Clear looks like it's contact only. Don't use it when they are in flower.

[LexLucre]

Thanks for the collective wisdom, you were all right. The aphids are a red herring. I went out with a torch and found these two. They've been hiding in the core of the plant.



I'd actually already sprayed this plant with bug clear ultra, which reports to defeat both caterpillars and aphids, but they've both got the better of it.

Looks like a regular night patrol is in order, maybe the lupin will recover, although it's looking pretty bare.

[LexLucre]

It's a bleedin free for all. Second patrol, one caterpillar, one earwig and 2 baby snails.

[happyhumph]

If it's any consolation last year my lupins had so many snails and slugs I could see a minimum of 5 per plant in daylight from about 10 feet away

[Bigmallly]

A little remembery note for myself - do not grow Lupins.

[Small pumpkin]

I can't plant out lupins till they are bursting out of a 1lt pot. Any smaller and they are gone in 24 hours, thanks to voles. I don't know if they eat them or just find them very comfortable bedding material!

They do that to most of my flowers actually.