What Is Eating My Hostas?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 12, 2023

According to Hostas Direct, there are several pests that eat hostas, such as rabbits and deer. Rabbits damage hostas by consuming the young shoots and leaves of the plant. Deer can do severe damage to hostas by stripping plants to the stalk.

Voles and other rodents, such as mice also eat hosta plants. However, voles and mice tend to burrow down into the ground and eat the roots of the plant. While certain animals can do damage to hosta plants, slugs and snails are the biggest pests, according to Gardening Know How. Slugs and snails damage hostas by eating small holes in the leaves. Another common pest is black vine weevil. Black vine weevils tend to eat notches out of the outer layer of the hosta leaves.