What's eating my carnarvon fan palm?

Carnarvon Fan Palm is an Australian endemic from gorge habitats, grown as a rare collector's tropical palm. It shares the pest profile of other Livistona species: scale insects and palm aphids on foliage, spider mites in dry conditions, and in tropical garden settings the occasional rhinoceros beetle attack. Its rarity means any pest damage is particularly costly.

Encrusted waxy bumps on petioles and leaf undersides; fronds yellow and growth slows under heavy infestations. Horticultural oil spray in spring and summer; manually remove with soapy brush. Use systemic imidacloprid drench for persistent outbreaks.

Pale, stippled leaflets with fine webbing; especially problematic in hot dry conditions or heated conservatories. Improve humidity; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray every 7 days until the infestation clears.

Flat colonies on young fronds; sticky honeydew promotes sooty mould and can distort new growth. Dislodge with water jets; treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil spray. Introduce lacewing larvae as biological control where practical.