Pest identification
What's eating my teddy bear palm?
Spider mites
Signs: Pale, stippled or bronzed leaflets; fine webbing on frond undersides; fronds dry and drop prematurely
Control: Mist foliage regularly to raise humidity; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray, repeating weekly for 3 weeks
Scale insects
Signs: Hard or soft bumps on petioles and midribs; yellowing fronds; sticky honeydew attracting ants
Control: Remove by hand or with a soft brush dipped in soapy water; apply horticultural oil to smother remaining crawlers
Mealybugs
Signs: White waxy clusters at frond bases and in the crown; sap-sucking causes distorted new growth
Control: Spot-treat with isopropyl alcohol; drench the crown and leaf bases with diluted neem oil or spinosad-based spray
Keep teddy bear palm pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Teddy Bear Palm pests — FAQ
What is eating my teddy bear palm?
Teddy Bear Palm (Dypsis leptocheilos) faces its greatest threat from spider mites indoors or in dry tropical conditions, and from scale insects on established specimens. In outdoor tropical plantings, mealybugs and occasionally palm aphids can colonize new growth and frond bases.
How do I get rid of spider mites on teddy bear palm?
Pale, stippled or bronzed leaflets; fine webbing on frond undersides; fronds dry and drop prematurely Mist foliage regularly to raise humidity; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray, repeating weekly for 3 weeks
How do I get rid of scale insects on teddy bear palm?
Hard or soft bumps on petioles and midribs; yellowing fronds; sticky honeydew attracting ants Remove by hand or with a soft brush dipped in soapy water; apply horticultural oil to smother remaining crawlers
How do I get rid of mealybugs on teddy bear palm?
White waxy clusters at frond bases and in the crown; sap-sucking causes distorted new growth Spot-treat with isopropyl alcohol; drench the crown and leaf bases with diluted neem oil or spinosad-based spray