Alocasia pests, webbing or sticky leaves: causes and what to do
6 results in the diagnosis tree begin with pests, 5 of them marked likely when the answers fit. They are ordered here for Alocasia (Alocasia x amazonica), using what its sources say about pests and diseases, humidity and watering and 2 problems recorded for it.
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Also sold as Amazonian elephant's ear plant.
What Alocasia’s sources say that bears on this
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by mealybugs and greenhouse red spider mite. Diseases: usually none.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
- ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60%Penn State Extension · read 11 September 2026
- Watering
- From spring to autumn, water generously and feed every 2-3 weeks with a general liquid fertiliser. In winter, cut watering to a minimum and hold the temperature above 15°C.RHS · read 13 September 2026
How this shows up on an Alocasia
Fine pale speckling on the leaves, then webbing at the tips: spider mites
Speckling spreads over the alocasia until the leaves look washed out and bronze, with fine threads at the growing points.
RHS lists spider mites among the pests it may attract. Heated rooms suit them: dry, warm air speeds each generation, and the damage builds within weeks.
Telling it apart: Webbing. Only mites spin fine silk at the shoot tips.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Small white woolly insects tucked into the leaf joints
Look into the tightest angles of the crown: white woolly patches there are mealybug colonies, often with a sticky sheen on the leaves below them.
RHS lists mealybugs among the pests it may attract. They feed on sap and shed the excess as sticky honeydew, and a colony tucked into the joints spreads before it is noticed.
Telling it apart: Wipe a tuft with a cotton swab. An insect smears or crawls; a mineral deposit or a hair does not.
RHS · read 13 September 2026Possible causes, likeliest first for an Alocasia
Most likely spider mites
Ranked higher because Alocasia's recorded problems point this way.
- Fine pale speckling on the leaves, then webbing at the tips: spider mites RHS
Why: Spider mites feed on individual leaf cells, and each emptied cell shows as a pale speck.
What to try:
- Move the alocasia away from other plants.
- Wash the leaves, top and underside, with a strong spray of water in a shower or sink.
What would settle it: Hold a sheet of white paper under a leaf and tap the leaf. Tiny specks that move across the paper are mites.
Most likely mealybugs
Ranked higher because Alocasia's recorded problems point this way.
- Small white woolly insects tucked into the leaf joints RHS
Why: Mealybugs are soft insects that cover themselves in white wax, which gives the cottony look.
What to try:
- Move the alocasia away from other plants.
- Wipe off every insect you can see with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, testing a single leaf first.
What would settle it: Touch a tuft with a cotton swab. If a small, pale, oval insect is underneath, it is a mealybug.
Most likely scale insects
Why: Scale insects settle in one place under a hard or waxy shell and feed on sap.
What to try:
- Move the alocasia away from other plants.
- Scrape the scales off with a fingernail or a soft brush, then wipe the stems and leaves.
What would settle it: Push a bump gently with a fingernail. Scale comes away and leaves a mark; a bump that is part of the alocasia does not move.
Less likely for an Alocasia, still possible
Questions
- What usually causes pests on an Alocasia?
- For Alocasia: spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects.
- How can I tell which one it is on my Alocasia?
- What can you see? Fine webbing, and tiny pale speckles on the leaves; White, cottony tufts in the leaf joints; Small brown or pale bumps on stems and leaves that do not move; Clusters of small, soft insects on the new growth; Tiny dark flies around the soil; Sticky, shiny residue, but no insect I can see.
- What do Alocasia's sources say about its pests and diseases?
- RHS: Can be troubled by mealybugs and greenhouse red spider mite. Diseases: usually none.
- What does this look like on an Alocasia?
- Speckling spreads over the alocasia until the leaves look washed out and bronze, with fine threads at the growing points. Telling it apart: Webbing. Only mites spin fine silk at the shoot tips.
- Is Alocasia safe to handle while I check it?
- Its sources list it as toxic to cats, dogs and people. Wash your hands after handling the roots or sap, and keep trimmings away from pets.
Other plants that show pests
Arrowhead plantCurled, sticky new leaf blades with green or black insects: aphids
Dumb caneHard, rounded scale on the undersides of the leaves
Elephant earClusters of small soft insects on the shoot tips and buds: aphids
Heartleaf philodendronPale stippled leaves and tiny moving dots underneath: a mite pest
Lacy tree philodendronFine pale speckling on the leaf blades, then webbing at the tips: spider mites
MonsteraDull, finely mottled leaf blades and faint webs: spider mites
Something else wrong with the Alocasia?
What this does not cover
This page orders a decision tree's results using a plant's sourced care. It has not seen your plant, its pot or its window, and two problems at once are common: that is the usual reason a confident answer turns out wrong. The questions in the diagnosis tool narrow it further than a list can.