What's eating my mapu fan palm?

Mapu Fan Palm grown indoors is most threatened by spider mites, which thrive in the dry air of heated homes and cause stippled, bronzed fronds. Mealybugs and scale insects hide along leaf bases and petioles. Fungus gnats can colonise overwatered compost. Inspect weekly and act early to protect the delicate pleated leaves.

Fine webbing on undersides of fronds; leaves develop pale yellow stippling and a dusty, bronzed look. Raise humidity, mist foliage, and wipe leaves with a damp cloth. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray every 5–7 days until clear.

White cottony clusters at leaf axils and along petioles; sticky honeydew leads to sooty mould on fronds. Dab individual colonies with a cotton swab dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol. Follow up with neem oil or insecticidal soap spray.

Brown or tan waxy bumps fixed to petioles and the underside of fronds; foliage turns yellow and growth slows. Scrape off adults with a soft toothbrush, then treat with horticultural oil or systemic imidacloprid for heavy infestations.

Adults are a nuisance; larvae feed on fine root hairs in wet compost, causing wilting in young plants. Allow the top 2–3 cm of compost to dry between waterings. Use yellow sticky traps for adults and a Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) drench for larvae.