I've potted and grown it indoors so no caterpillars for sure. I didn't take a picture before the damage was too wilted to get a good idea of what it really looked like but I've planted two new seeds which have already sprouted, if it happens again I'll make sure to record the damage for you guys to look at. Thanks!

i am usually in my third paragraph of an answer.. before i remember the forum is for name only ... lol .. but on the other hand.. since a lot of ???s are from garden newbs.. i want them to be fascinated by the garden.. so i give way more info than the name .. to try to hook them into gardening ... ken

The ugly markings that I get on mine, remind me that I seriously sunburned nearly all my plants when I brought them over here... I am mixed about what I think of this. Some of you will remember that I put two rooted plain green cuttings into a self-water pot, BEFORE I read that most of you keep this one significantly dryer. It is receiving less sun than before, but is out in the elements all the time, with wind and wild critters. I am pretty excited as one of my sleeping peduncles (which all this time I thought were air roots!) is developing and I should have a bloom in three or four weeks, if the creek don't rise, and I hold my mouth just so! I tend to do a lot of misting under the tree. I have epies, and mostly hoyas out there. The Epi society recommends daily misting to deal with heat, so I crank up the wand, and spray everything in sight! Two days after I made sure to get the Kerrie, two leaves up and showed black markings, like following veins. I backed off a bit spraying, the marks are still there, but not spreading. I am wondering if the 'orginal' environment does not have something like mountain elevation with lots of sun, and humitidy that could be tough to replicate. In the gallery there are awesome shots of blooming Kerriis... makes me really grumpy that this one is soooo tough to figure out. My v. Kerrii cutting spent the winter nearly dry to the bone, teeny cutting, potted up, behind someone else. Emptying the plant room in Spring, and Surprise! Poor thing. Still alive, still two leaves. No sign of three showing up any time soon. All I can offer is that it is a plant that can get seriously ugly!

IF they are one of the zillion species of plant or leaf hopper, then the ants are after their sugary excretions. These insects are sap-feeders, taking large volumes of the stuff into their bug-bodies at one end, and recycling it out the other end! Since photosynthates are loaded with carbs (sugars), the excrement is sweet. Viola....ANTS! You might want to check out lacebugs, as well. They can be a real pest of sunflowers. Here is a link that might be useful: