Hello,
I've got a lot of these little bugs on the new shoots of my maidenhair fern, and they seem to really stunt the growth of the fronds.
At first I thought they were nematodes because they seemed to come from the very base of the fern, but now I am not sure.
I have started drenching with 3.5% hydrogen peroxide once a week and this is helping quite a bit, but I am worried I'm destroying the soil and not killing these bugs fast enough! Please help!!
What happens if you try a few other treatments:
Hold the pot and plant under water. Will the pests leave the soil and plant? Might take a while- perhaps weight it down with some pebbles if it wants to float.
Touch each bug with a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. Don't get much (any) on the fern. Can you see each pest to try this?
H2O2 adds oxygen to the soil. If the fern is OK with this, and it is discouraging the pests, then perhaps repeat it more frequently, see if you can break the life cycle.
