Hi - I've got something terribly wrong with my indoor palm plant (I believe it is a Chamaedorea cosataricana..). The leaves are shiny with a sticky substance - and the room surfaces all around the plant are also sticky. (I discovered the plant as the source after several apartment cleanings..!) So it's somehow exuding this from the leaves (?). The plant itself seems to be growing fine - lots of strong, tall new stalks, etc. - though the leaves do show some indication of dis-ease (some black spots in areas, a (very) few holes here and there, and the usual dried edges..). I'm guessing fungus over pests...any advice?
Indiscriminate application of insecticide is not recommended. Having said that, insecticidal soap and its relatives are effective against most pests found on indoor plants. Look closely at the undersides of the leaves and along the stems. Adult scale appear as small bumps with a shell. Younger ones are smaller and clear and can lie flat against a plant surface. Even younger still are the crawlers which are invisible to the naked eye. It would help to physically remove adult scale before spraying.
