Most likely you have one of the thousands of species of scale insect. Are the leaves kinda shinny and sticky to touch? A scale is a tiny insect which reproduces and feeds like an aphid. Unlike aphids, scale attach their feeding parts to leaf tissue, then build up layers of lac around their bodies as they grow. This means the insect is more protected than soft-bodied species, but you can still use any number of commercial sprays or systemic powders would work. I'm personally inclined to recommend Insecticidal soap (I use Safer brand), equal parts parts rubbing alcohol and water, or Neem oil diluted to the proper strength, since I try to avoid the really hardcore synthetics unless its a bleak prognosis. If you choose to use one of these products you have to respray a few times in the next few weeks to make sure all bugs were hit, and kill off anything which has hatched. Peace, Nate

I have been having this issue only with habaneros, all my other plants are doing great. The issue is that I grow beautiful plants, healthy fruit set and production. When I cut open my habaneros (brown ones in particular), all i find are brown small deformed seeds or none at all. Sometimes they are small tiny white seeds that are almost mushy. The plants are getting the same nutrients as all my other peppers and healthy in all other respects. I suspect high temps may be an issue but I cannot find anything on this subject. Most of my peppers are netted to prevent crossing. This brown one was actually left unetted and isolated by distance. Do extremely high temps of 99-102 cause this?

Hi, it very well could be a stink bug, there are so many varieties. I have seen vegetable weevils on my tomatoes, flea beetles and every bug mentioned, their colors vary

I just wanted to chim in also. I've had the same issue, and was totally worried :) My plants looked like that once thier first leaves appeared (I started from seed). The ones affected were: Jeff's Mystery Pink Oxheart, Purple Russian and Oplaka (from Heirloom Acres seeds - I had seed from someone else that was fine). Right now, 4+months later. All the leaves are still funky looking. The Purple Russian and Oxheart are the worst (but producing fruit and flowers normally). The Oplaka looks a little more like yours in that the leaves start out curled up and pathetic, but they unfurl and settle. I havn't noticed any pests at all on my toms so I know that isn't the issue, especially since they were funky like that from the start. I just left them alone and they are doing fine ;) Laura