Snails and Slugs eat Begonias. Insects like Aphids, Whiteflies, Mealybugs, Spider Mites, Scale, Earwigs, and Caterpillars eat holes into Begonias. Squirrels and Rats eat Begonias too.
Begonias produce beautiful flowers. But like every other flowering plant, they are also prone to pest and insect attacks.
In this article, you’ll learn about the pests that attack Begonias and also the ways to keep a variety of pests away from your Begonias.
Do Squirrels eat Begonias?
Yes, squirrels eat Begonias. Squirrels don’t come to your garden just to eat Begonias but they might eat them if they’re hungry enough.
Begonias aren’t on their favorites list but they eat the plants if they don’t have anything else to munch on.
Mix cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic, or peppermint oil into the soil around your Begonias to keep squirrels at bay.
Do squirrels eat begonia bulbs?
Yes, squirrels do eat Begonia bulbs. They dig up and eat Begonia bulbs when they don’t have anything else to munch on.
Squirrels don’t touch the summer bulbs as they have plenty of food in that season. They don’t dig out Begonias bulbs in the summer.
Do Deer eat Begonias?
Yes, Deer can eat Begonias. Begonias aren’t the favorite plants of deer but they do eat them if they’re hungry enough.
They are not the common enemies of Begonias. They might eat Begonias if they don’t have anything else to eat.
You can keep deer away from your Begonias by planting deer-repelling plants in your garden. They’d stop visiting your garden after a while.
You can erect fencing around the plants you care about. You may want to plant your favorite plants near the house.
Do Snails/Slugs eat Begonias?
Yes, snails and slugs do eat Begonias. They can devour most plants of your plants overnight, that’s how hungry they are.
Slugs and Snails feed on Begonias at night. Gardeners often find the damage the next morning. Slugs/snails eat holes into the plant parts of both young and mature plants.
If you suspect a snail/slug infestation in the garden, go out at night and inspect the garden using a flashlight.
Slugs/snails leave a trail of slime behind them as they move around the garden. This is a great indicator of their presence in the garden.
How to protect Begonias from slugs/snails?
- Place snail/slug bait around your Begonias to keep slugs/snails away.
- You can also place bowls of beer in the ground around the Begonias to attract and trap slugs/snails. You can also use a yeast/water mixture for the same.
- Slugs prefer a moist environment, so get rid of any debris around the Begonias.
What insects eat Begonias?
Yes, a variety of insects eat Begonias. Scale insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites, Aphids, and Whiteflies munch on Begonia leaves. Earwigs, Caterpillars, and other insect pests also bother Begonias.
Do Scale insects eat Begonias?
Yes, scale insects eat Begonias. Scale insects are oval-shaped that attach to the plant parts and suck the plant sap out.
The green shield scale loves to feed on Begonias. These insects have a green hue and are found on the branches, and axils of Begonias.
You can control scale insects biologically by introducing lady beetles or parasitic wasps onto Begonias. One can also control scale insects by spraying Horticultural oil on the affected plants.
Do Mealybugs eat Begonias?
Yes, Mealybugs eat Begonias. Mealybugs are unshielded scale insects that appear like a mass of cotton, that’s why the name.
Mealybugs suck the plant sap out of Begonias and produce honeydew. Honeydew is a sugary substance that gives rise to sooty mold.
Mealybugs cause the leaves to turn yellow and shrivel. Such leaves eventually turn brown and fall off the plant.
One can introduce Mealybug destroyers onto Begonias to control Mealybugs biologically. One can also spray water on the affected branches to dislodge Mealybugs.
If the problem is severe, spray Horticultural oil on the affected branches of Begonia.
Do Whiteflies eat Begonias?
Yes, whiteflies eat Begonias. Whiteflies are small, white insects that can fly. They are found on the lower sides of the leaves.
Whiteflies suck the plant sap through the leaves. Such leaves turn yellow, shrivel, and fall off.
You can trap whiteflies and get rid of them by setting up yellow sticky traps around your Begonias. Spraying insecticidal soap solution keeps whiteflies away too.
Note: Spray the soap solutions 6-10 days apart to prevent the larvae from growing.
Do Aphids eat Begonias?
Yes, aphids eat Begonias. Aphids are small insects that are carried onto the host plants by ants. These insects feed on the leaves and stems of Begonias.
Aphids leave behind honeydew as they feed on the leaves. Ants are attracted to this sugary substance. Honeydew leads to the growth of sooty mold.
One can control aphid populations by spraying insecticidal soap on the affected branches of Begonia.
Do Spider Mites eat Begonias?
Yes, spider mites eat Begnonias. Spider mites are tiny insects that are capable of producing webs, like spiders.
Spider mites suck plant sap through the leaves, causing yellow spots on leaves. The affected leaves shrivel, turn brown, and fall off eventually.
You can control Spider mites biologically by introducing lacewings or western predatory mites onto the affected Begonia plant.
You can control Spider Mite populations by spraying insecticidal soap on the affected Begonias.
Do Caterpillars eat Begonias?
Yes, caterpillars eat Begonias. Caterpillars eat holes into Begonia leaves both at night and in the morning.
Wear gloves and pick these little pests by hand and drop them in a bucket of soapy water. You can get rid of small populations this way.
Do Japanese Beetles eat Begonias?
No, Japanese Beetles aren’t attracted to Begonias. Japanese Beetles don’t usually eat Begonia plant parts.
Japanese Beetles might cause a little damage to your Begonias, you never know. So, it is important to keep an eye on your Begonias.
Do Earwigs eat Begonias?
Yes, Earwigs eat Begonias. Earwigs eat small, round holes into Begonia leaves. Earwigs have a pair of pincers on the back of their abdomen.
You can control Earwigs using the same bait you use for snails/slugs. Apply petroleum jelly on the stems of Begonia to keep Earwigs away.
Do animals eat Begonias?
Rats, Rabbits, Groundhogs, and Chipmunks eat Begonias. Squirrels and Deer eat Begonias if they don’t have anything else to eat.
Do Rabbits eat Begonias?
Yes, rabbits can eat Begonias. They don’t usually visit the garden in search of Begonias but they do eat them if they don’t have anything else to eat.
Some rabbits seem to avoid Begonias while some eat them happily. Erect fencing to keep rabbits away from your precious plants.
Do Groundhogs eat Begonias?
Groundhogs avoid Wax Begonias. Wax Begonias are well-adapted to repel such critters. Groundhogs may damage other types of Begonias.
Find Groundhog burrows and throw some garlic-pepper mixture into them. You can get rid of them by doing this regularly.
Do Rats eat Begonias?
Yes, rats eat Begonias. Rats not only bother the garden plants, but they can also damage your potted plants.
One can repel rats by planting Thyme, Basil, or Garlic in the garden. Plant these around your precious plants to keep rats at bay.
Do Chickens eat Begonias?
Yes, chickens eat Begonias. You don’t need to worry about your chickens eating Begonias, they’re not toxic at all.
If you want to keep chickens at bay, erect a fence around your Begonias.
Do Chipmunks eat Begonias?
Yes, Chipmunks eat Begonias. Chipmunks like to munch on the tender parts of Begonias when they haven’t got anything else to eat.
One can erect fencing to keep Chipmunks away from the garden. Plant Begonias closer to your house, critters don’t come near the house.
Happy Gardening 🙂