Aphids are small, soft bodied insects that will retard plant growth when found in excessive numbers. There are around 4,000 aphid species that vary in colour from yellow through to black. The have a pear shaped body and are generally wingless more...

Mealy bugs suck the nutrients and moisture from fern fronds, causing them to turn yellow and detach from the plant. They are white in colour and are covered with waxy threads that help protect them from predators. more...

Nematodes are worms that can cause extensive damage to ferns. They are very small, which makes them difficult to identify. Nematodes cause damage to the both the roots of the plant (resulting in lesions, stunting or wilting) or the foliage (resulting in lesions, deformations and discolouration of fronds). more...

Thrip cause damage to ferns by sucking their juices and scraping fronds. Damaged foliage loses its green colouring, turns silvery, then dies. There are over 6,000 species of thrips, all of which are very small, straw-colored or black and have two pairs of feathery wings. more...