Red Dot Things On Staghorn Fern

I got these little bumps on the plant. like little red beads.

Does anyone know what they are?

How do I get rid of them?

TIA

I'm wondering if it's some form of scale insect? Scroll down this page to where it talks about problems and read the info on scale:

http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_e4f3-2.html

do you think you could get a better picture?

Any chance they are spores? I know most ferns have spores form on the underside of the fronds when the time is right. Wish I had more information for you, but this is one plant I have never owned.

This message was edited Dec 11, 2007 12:53 PM

I have grown staghorn ferns, have a small one now but I've never seen anything like that growth. I thought of spores too but they usually grow on the undersides of the leaves as growgirl59 stated. I will be real curious to hear what it is growing on your plant.

staghorn ferns are very seseptable to scale insects,


Are the fronds sticky and distorted?

have you got a better photo?

Do they look anything like this?

they look like scale insects to me, the best way to make sure is to remove one or two using tweezers and lay them onto a sheet of paper, crush them between you finger and nail or use another bit of paper, then you will soon know if they are insects, if they are, they will suck all the sap from the plant and the increase very fast, before you know it, you will have a real infestation that will spread to your other plants, I know of no spray that kills them as they have a protective coating around them, so either pick them off and destroy them or use a swab dipped in say warm water and swab them off, these plants normally grow on a host tree way up high in the jungles therefore dont like too much water at their roots as they get water from the host plant when it rains and the rain water drips into the bows and crevices of the tree trunks, but they do like humidity around the leaves, but quickly test for the insects before you have a mega problem. hope this helps you out, good luck. WeeNel.

I'd guess scale, too.

The spore casing on Staghorn ferns forms in sort of a 'patch', if I recall correctly.

Hi, Be careful with treating your staghorn fern. The fuzzy hairs on the leaves help hold moisture for the plant. They are senitive to the kind of sprays the would take care of scales. Scales also move to other plants. They are really hard to get rid of even on non senitive plants. I do wish you luck. Patty

I read in my MG book to use highly diluted rubbing alcohol on the scale to help control the critters.

I would agree with Pattyplant re the sensitivity of the Stag Fern these are used to living like a parasite on other plants, trees actually way up high in the shaded areas and they get little moisture as the rain drips from the host plant, I would be using tweezers myself, I know it might be a slow way to get the bugs off the plant, but it will do less harm to the fern, these bugs will go to all other plants if not done away with, they can overwinter too as they are in a protected little cocoon all to themselves which is why they don't get removed easily be chemicals, as said already, chemicals will really harm the plant. good luck. WeeNel.

I've seen those on my jade plant cuttings as well. I really think they are scale insects. I got the cuttings from a very old plant that belonged to a friend of mine. Fortunately, if I rub them just a little, they flake right off, with no damage showing underneath. I hope that means they're dead. Good luck getting rid of them.

Chockadee, you use the same method as myself for the problem of Scale insects. they sure wont fall off the plants, next time you rub them off with your finger, hold a tissue under the leaf to catch the insects so they dont cling onto any lower foliage and get going again, I just burn the tissue once I've gathered them all, keep checking for a few weeks as the tiny ones are easy to miss till they fatten up and are more noticeable like in the picture. Good luck. WeeNel.

Thanks WeeNel, I've been keeping a careful eye and if I see anymore,THEY'RE TOAST! ; )