What's eating my painted fern 'pewter lace'?

Painted Fern 'Pewter Lace' kept indoors faces the same pest risks as other Athyrium cultivars: scale and spider mites top the list, with mealybugs and fungus gnats as secondary threats in wet or crowded conditions. Consistent humidity, good drainage, and quarantining new arrivals keep most problems at bay.

Hard or soft bumps on frond midribs; sticky honeydew; fronds pale and drop prematurely. Remove manually with alcohol-dipped brush; follow with horticultural oil or neem oil spray every 7–10 days until all life stages are gone.

Fine silvery webbing on frond undersides; stippled, dull frond surfaces; leaf drop in heavy infestations. Mist foliage and raise humidity; spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil weekly; isolate affected plants.

Fluffy white wax in leaf joints and along petioles; weakened new growth; sooty mold on honeydew deposits. Spot-treat with isopropyl alcohol; whole-plant spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; repeat every 5–7 days for several weeks.