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Adult and immature leafhoppers suck sap from the leaves of plants and cause mottled discolouration. The 3mm-long adults readily spring from the leaves when disturbed. The pest usually overwinters as eggs laid on the plant. These hatch in spring

Earwigs, which can be up to 14mm long, hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. The females lay eggs in late-winter, usually in the soil, which hatch in spring. Although earwigs can damage plants, they also eat small pests and their eggs

, moving to a host plant to overwinter. They breed at an alarming rate - females can give birth to live young when only a week old. They are sap-sucking pests and the excess sap is excreted as honeydew. This sticky residue falls on to the lower leaves

Capsid bugs are sap-feeding pests. The 6mm-long adults vary in colour from green to red-brown, depending on the species. Look for the distinctive diamond shape when their wings are folded. When they feed, they release a toxic saliva that kills off

to the same plant. It's only a significant problem when young plants are being defoliated or you're growing specimens for a show. Bees snip out elliptical sections of leaf margins, particularly on roses, and use them to make thimble-shaped cells in their nests

of plants. They debilitate the plants and secrete a sticky, sugary honeydew that covers the leaves, which often results in further problems, such as sooty moulds. Infestations of white, waxy insects on indoor and greenhouse plants, along with sticky honeydew

Scarlet beetles (6mm - 8mm long) with black heads eat the leaves, flowers and seedpods of lilies and other members of the lily family. Don't mistake them for ladybirds. Between April and September the beetles lay eggs on the undersides of leaves

Both the 1cm-long black adults and 1cm-long plump, white, legless, brown-headed larvae are a problem. The latter hide in the soil, and feed on roots (severing them) and bore into tubers from autumn to spring. Container plants are most at risk

, and can be picked off by hand.The moment you spot an infestation, spray them with pyrethrum. If the plants are in flower, spray in the evening, so pollinating insects aren't affected.verbascum, buddleia, figwortsmid-spring to midsummerMore advice

The large, beautiful caterpillar larvae of the elephant hawk moth has two pairs of eye markings, which are made even more prominent when it withdraws its head into its body. They are, typically, a blackish-brown colour but are sometimes green, and though their 'eyes' make them lo...