What's eating my maranta 'massangeana'?

Maranta leuconeura var. massangeana (Black Prayer Plant) is an indoor tropical most at risk from spider mites, particularly in low-humidity homes. Its deep dark-green leaves with silvery blotches make spotting pale mite damage harder, so inspect leaf undersides regularly under good light.

Fine pale stippling and dull patches on the dark upper surface; webbing on undersides; premature leaf drop in severe cases. Raise humidity with a pebble tray and misting. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil to both leaf surfaces; repeat every 5–7 days for 3 cycles.

White waxy tufts at stem nodes and leaf bases; sticky honeydew encourages mould and weakens the plant. Dab with 70% alcohol swabs to kill insects on contact. Follow with weekly neem oil spray for 3–4 weeks.

Small brown or tan bumps along stems and veins; prolonged feeding causes yellowing and dieback. Scrape off adult scale with a soft brush. Apply horticultural oil every 2 weeks for 6–8 weeks to smother remaining crawlers.