Last year there were two shrub pests and now is the time to control them. One is the honeysuckle aphid, a small black and white aphid that attacks the plant early and leaves twisted leaves and dead twigs. The damage will not kill the plant but leaves the plant unsightly with dead tips. Spray when the leaves just come out with Neom oil or a systemic insecticide.
The other is the cotoneaster mites. They are small, around .02 inches long, and cause the leaves to curl in a knot with tiny spider webs around a group of leaves. The leaves blacken with a sappy substance on them from the secretions of the mites. Shrubs will die back after a few years of infestation. As with honeysuckle, spray early with Neom oil or a systemic insecticide. Now is the time!