Major Pest of Capsicum Species

Members of the Capsicum genus are susceptible to some common pests.

Members of the Capsicum genus are susceptible to some common pests.

"Capsicum" is the name of the pepper plant genus. The Capsicum genus includes 27 species, which range from sweet bell peppers to the hottest peppers on the planet. Peppers are easy to grow in the right soil conditions, but gardeners should look out for some common pests that can wreak havoc to pepper harvests.


Insects aren't the biggest threat to pepper plants, although they can cause serious problems when infestations occur. Aphids, pepper weevils, maggots, flea beetles, hornworms, leafminers, and cutworms are the most common capsicum insect pests. Insect pests not only feed on leaves and foliage, but they also spread diseases from one plant to another. To avoid insect pests, inspect plants daily for signs of infestation, and get rid of any diseased plants immediately.


Viral diseases usually cause abnormal growth since they affect the metabolism of plant cells. Mosaic virus is one of the most common and deadly capsicum viruses. Mosaic virus causes the plant leaves to appear mottled, with blotches and stunted growth as accompanying symptoms. Aphids spread mosaic virus from one plant to another. Other common capsicum viruses include pepper mottle virus, potato virus, tobacco etch virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, and beef curly top virus.

Bacteria and Fungi

Common capsicum bacterial diseases include bacterial soft rot, bacterial spot and bacterial wilt. These diseases cause wilted leaves, spotted leaves, and leaf drop. Once again, insect control plays a critical role in preventing bacterial disease, since insects can injure peppers and make them more susceptible to bacterial infection. Fungal infections are also common in pepper plants, and have similar symptoms to bacterial disease. Common fungi include anthracnose, damping off, fusarium wilt, and gray mold.

Other Pests

Animals can also cause problems for pepper plants. Dogs love to dig them up, cats enjoy grazing on seedlings, and birds enjoy the seeds. Dogs can also damage pepper plants by urinating on them, resulting in a condition known as "canine spotting syndrome." Squirrels and skunks have also been reported to enjoy the plants, according to pepper expert Dave DeWitt in his book "The Pepper Garden." To prevent problems, plant your peppers in an enclosed area and use poultry fencing or a similar barrier to keep animals out.

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