What's eating my anthurium besseae aff. (dark velvet)?

Anthurium besseae aff. (Dark Velvet) is a prized collector houseplant with very dark, velvety foliage. The plush leaf texture creates ideal hiding spots for spider mites and mealybugs. Because this is a rare and slow-growing plant, pest pressure caught late can cause serious setback — weekly leaf-by-leaf inspection pays off.

Bronze or silvery stippling on the dark velvet surface; faint webbing visible under magnification Increase humidity, rinse foliage, and apply neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly for at least 3 cycles

White cottony deposits tucked into petiole joints and the undersides of leaves Manual removal with alcohol swab, followed by full-plant neem oil spray; isolate plant from others immediately

Unexplained wilting and slow decline despite correct watering; white waxy coating visible on roots Unpot and wash roots, treat with diluted neem drench or imidacloprid soil drench, then repot in fresh mix