Bay leaf suckers
Learn about damaging bay suckers in our expert guide.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to act | yes | yes |
In mid-spring, 2mm-long, greenish-brown, adult bay suckers emerge from overwintering. They feed on young bay (Laurus nobilis) leaves, turning them yellow and making the edges thicken and curl. The females then lay eggs under the curling edges and the new, young grey insects - which have a fluffy white covering - carry on feeding on the sap, prolonging the problem. Prolific breeding in summer means the symptoms don't disappear.
Symptoms
Young, winged, sap-feeding insects attack young bay foliage, discolouring and distorting it.
Find it on
bay leaves
Organic
Minor attacks can be tackled by promptly removing all affected leaves. Also, destroy any that fall on the ground, as these can still carry the eggs or adults.
Christmas offer
Gift a subscription to BBC Gardeners' World magazine and save 51% on the shop price.
Year Planner 2025 on sale
Starting to plan your gardening year? The Year Planner 2025 is packed with expert advice from the Gardeners’ World team, to ensure you have your best gardening year yet.
New podcast series
Join Monty and the team for advice on winter gardening, tulips, caring for birds, house plants and more in the new BBC Gardeners' World Magazine podcast series.
