Pest identification
What's eating my crested bracken?
Spider mites
Signs: Fine webbing and pale stippling on leaves, worst in dry air
Control: Rinse the foliage, raise humidity, and treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony tufts in leaf joints; sticky honeydew
Control: Dab with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab and follow up with neem oil.
Scale insects
Signs: Brown bumps on stems and leaf undersides; sticky residue
Control: Scrape off by hand and treat with horticultural oil every 10–14 days.
Fungus gnats
Signs: Small flies around the soil; larvae feed on roots in wet mix
Control: Let the top of the soil dry out, use sticky traps, and water less often.
Keep crested bracken pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Crested Bracken pests — FAQ
What is eating my crested bracken?
As an indoor plant, crested bracken is mainly troubled by sap-sucking pests rather than animals — spider mites, mealybugs, scale and fungus gnats are the usual culprits. Most arrive on new plants or in warm, dry air, so inspect under the leaves regularly and isolate anything infested.
How do I get rid of spider mites on crested bracken?
Fine webbing and pale stippling on leaves, worst in dry air Rinse the foliage, raise humidity, and treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on crested bracken?
White cottony tufts in leaf joints; sticky honeydew Dab with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab and follow up with neem oil.
How do I get rid of scale insects on crested bracken?
Brown bumps on stems and leaf undersides; sticky residue Scrape off by hand and treat with horticultural oil every 10–14 days.
How do I get rid of fungus gnats on crested bracken?
Small flies around the soil; larvae feed on roots in wet mix Let the top of the soil dry out, use sticky traps, and water less often.