Q: I have two urns containing ornamental sweet potato vine. The leaves have tiny little holes, approximately one-eighth inch in diameter. Do you know what could be causing the holes?

A: I’ll give you three choices: golden tortoise beetle, potato flea beetle and one of the looper caterpillars. All three love sweet potato leaves. My vote goes to tortoise beetle. Any garden insecticide you care to use will control these insects.

See Golden Tortoise Beetle

Golden tortoise beetle

tortoise beetle damage