Q What's caused the holes in the leaves of my verbascum?

A Mullein moth has damaged your plant. The caterpillars are pale grey, yellow and black and measure about 4cm long. They have a voracious appetite for verbascums, figworts and buddlejas. After they finish feeding, they pupate and overwinter in the soil. The moth then emerges in spring and lays its eggs.

Caption: Mullein-moth caterpillars can strip verbascum leaves

Picking off the caterpillars by hand or spraying them with a suitable insecticide will soon put a stop to the damage.

Caption: Pick off any mullein-moth caterpillars as soon as you see them