What pests attack luffa?

Cucumber beetles, Squash bug, Two-spotted spider mite

Luffa pests and diseases: how to recognise them

Q: Which luffa problems need quick action?

Cucumber beetles: Vines suddenly wilt and die even though the soil is moist — bacterial wilt spread by the beetles; cucumbers and melons are the most susceptible, watermelon is not. Downy Mildew: Badly affected leaves shrivel and turn brown or yellow and fall early; plants become stunted and some may die.

Luffa aegyptiaca

The pests, diseases and disorders recorded for luffa in our library, each with a photo and its first symptom. Every page has the full list of symptoms, organic and chemical treatment and prevention.

At a glance

Problems in total	4
Pests	3
Diseases	1
Need quick action	2

How to grow luffa · All pests and diseases

Pests

Cucumber beetlesVines suddenly wilt and die even though the soil is moist — bacterial wilt spread by the beetles; cucumbers and melons are the most susceptible, watermelon is not.Also called: striped cucumber beetle, spotted cucumber beetlePhoto: Pollinator, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Squash bugAdults are flat, grey-brown bugs about 1.6 cm long with orange-striped abdomen edges; young nymphs are pale green, older ones grey with dark wing pads.Photo: Pollinator at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Two-spotted spider miteTiny yellowish-green mites with two dark patches, white cast skins and eggs on the leaf undersides — easiest to see with a 10× hand lens.Also called: red spider mitePhoto: Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Diseases

Downy MildewBadly affected leaves shrivel and turn brown or yellow and fall early; plants become stunted and some may die.Photo: Christian Hummert (Ixitixel), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Which luffa problems need quick action?

These spread or do lasting harm fast; check the plants and start treatment the day you see them.

Cucumber beetles: Yellow beetles about 6–7 mm long with three black stripes (striped cucumber beetle) or yellow-green with 12 black spots (spotted cucumber beetle) on seedlings, leaves, flowers and fruit.
Downy Mildew: Pale green, yellow, purple or brown blotches on the upper side of leaves, often angular where they are bordered by the veins.

Plants with many of the same problems

Which plants each problem affects: sources

The links between these problems and the plant were checked against these pages.