Hostas and Bleeding Hearts Devoured: Slugs Are the Prime Suspect

Hostas are a favorite of slugs—nocturnal, hiding in soil/mulch by day, shredding foliage at night. Flea beetles, aphids, and whiteflies also attack hostas, but slugs cause the "ground-level destruction" you describe.

Slug Control

• Sluggo (iron phosphate) or Escar-Go — organic, pet-safe, rain-fast. Scatter around plants; reapply 10 days. See gardensalive.com.
• Beer traps — moderate success, but evaporate daily.
• Diatomaceous earth / copper barriers — less reliable.

Flying Insects (Fungus Gnats?)

Small flies in soil = fungus gnats (larvae eat roots/organic matter). Control:

• Let soil surface dry between waterings.
• Yellow sticky traps at canopy level.
• Bti (Mosquito Bits) drench — kills larvae safely.

Lawn "Pock Marks"

Softball-sized depressions = likely earthworm castings (beneficial) or cicada killer wasp burrows (solitary, harmless). Grubs cause irregular brown patches, not neat depressions.

Don't Give Up!

Slugs are manageable. Start with Sluggo tonight. Your hostas will recover if the crown is intact.