Pest identification
What's eating my lady fern?
Spider mites
Signs: Fine webbing and pale stippling on frond undersides; fronds dull and eventually brown at tips.
Control: Increase humidity; rinse foliage; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray weekly until the infestation clears.
Scale insects
Signs: Armored bumps along stems and midribs; honeydew deposits attract sooty mold; fronds pale and growth slows.
Control: Remove with alcohol and a soft brush; spray with horticultural oil every 7–10 days for at least three cycles.
Aphids
Signs: Clusters of soft-bodied insects on new unfurling croziers; distorted emerging fronds; honeydew.
Control: Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap spray; introduce beneficial insects if moved outdoors seasonally.
Fungus gnats
Signs: Root damage by larvae in wet soil; adult gnats hover around the pot; seedlings most affected.
Control: Reduce watering frequency; apply Bti drench; use yellow sticky traps.
Keep lady fern pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Lady Fern pests — FAQ
What is eating my lady fern?
Lady Fern grown as a houseplant is most threatened by spider mites and scale. Outdoors it can attract slugs and aphids. Indoors, dry air is the main catalyst for mite outbreaks. Keep humidity high, water evenly, and inspect frond undersides regularly. Fungus gnats are a secondary concern in overwatered containers.
How do I get rid of spider mites on lady fern?
Fine webbing and pale stippling on frond undersides; fronds dull and eventually brown at tips. Increase humidity; rinse foliage; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray weekly until the infestation clears.
How do I get rid of scale insects on lady fern?
Armored bumps along stems and midribs; honeydew deposits attract sooty mold; fronds pale and growth slows. Remove with alcohol and a soft brush; spray with horticultural oil every 7–10 days for at least three cycles.
How do I get rid of aphids on lady fern?
Clusters of soft-bodied insects on new unfurling croziers; distorted emerging fronds; honeydew. Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap spray; introduce beneficial insects if moved outdoors seasonally.
How do I get rid of fungus gnats on lady fern?
Root damage by larvae in wet soil; adult gnats hover around the pot; seedlings most affected. Reduce watering frequency; apply Bti drench; use yellow sticky traps.