---
title: "Hi friends, I’m new to the Alocasia Polly and I was wondering what’s…"
description: "Hi friends, I’m new to the Alocasia Polly and I was wondering what’s going on with it. I suspect spider mites but I’ve also never had pests before. Some of…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/8YJLrBkOSo27kyNSisgUpA/-MySg9AXSxmzkau4lqgksg"
community: "Alocasia Aficionados"
author: "Gray"
published: "2024-09-24T02:29:16.153887Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/Kx2jj8UjsecUbATr1CifYNQY7WRtcOgY1U8MCZreHZU/iEvSFnacS2ezfUmc1juHww.webp?size=large"
---

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# Hi friends, I’m new to the Alocasia Polly and I was wondering what’s…

_Posted by Gray on 2024-09-24_

Hi friends,  
I’m new to the Alocasia Polly and I was wondering what’s going on with it. I suspect spider mites but I’ve also never had pests before. Some of these white spots look more like pieces of a paper towel left behind from when I rubbed the leaves with watered down neem oil, but I’m not sure. The hole was there when I got the plant. The leaf in the background to the left is curled up on one side and I found a web in it. I removed the web, soaked the plant, rubbed neem oil on all the leaves, and quarantined it away from my plants outside. I live in Maryland, US (including for weather purposes). This is one of my bucket list plants and I’m so scared of losing it! What’s going on? How do I fix it?

Thank you!  
Gray

![Attachment 1 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/Kx2jj8UjsecUbATr1CifYNQY7WRtcOgY1U8MCZreHZU/iEvSFnacS2ezfUmc1juHww.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/Kx2jj8UjsecUbATr1CifYNQY7WRtcOgY1U8MCZreHZU/p0-Y7WXzQBKRKRC87AXKHA.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 3 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/Kx2jj8UjsecUbATr1CifYNQY7WRtcOgY1U8MCZreHZU/P15WkFByTcK4Ywu9Z2r0oQ.webp?size=large)

## 9 comments

### Cherrybergher commented on 2024-09-24

Can you take a photo of the underside of the worst leaf?

#### Gray replied on 2024-09-24

All the undersides are purple and look healthy to me. This one is the worst because of the yellow speckling. The underside of the curled leaf hasn’t fully developed the purple on the curled side yet. I’ll reply again with a photo of that one

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/Kx2jj8UjsecUbATr1CifYNQY7WRtcOgY1U8MCZreHZU/r8AfsJRtT0KlPUUk6MF60A.webp?size=large)

#### Gray replied on 2024-09-24

This is the underside of the curled leaf

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/Kx2jj8UjsecUbATr1CifYNQY7WRtcOgY1U8MCZreHZU/Megsax_CSc2gE4k7ubDZKw.webp?size=large)

#### Gray replied on 2024-09-24

This leaf is also a lighter green than the others. I suspect it was the newest growth when I bought the plant 2-3 weeks ago. I haven’t had any new growths yet

#### Cherrybergher replied on 2024-09-24

Ok. It looks like not much insect damage. Usually an Alocasia you can see insect damage on the underside easier as the red areas start looking see through.

### Holly commented on 2024-09-24

Hmmm I’m not familiar with Polly but a web sounds like spider mites to me 😰 unless it could’ve been an actual spider? I’ve never seen spider mites in person but that DOES look like paper towel residue to me… it might help if you used a microfibre cloth next time? Keep an eye out for honeydew (sticky droplets), more webs, or tiny little pests themselves, and best of luck!!!

### Surfside Seedling commented on 2024-09-25

The hole/brown spot is sun damage. Alocasia pollys don’t play when it comes to direct or too much light. I’m thinking we’re just looking at paper towel residue though. No need to panic this time, lol.

### nepenthomancer commented on 2024-09-26

They are spider mite magnets!! Always good to preemptively treat for them especially if you’ve seen a web of any kind.

#### Gray replied on 2024-09-26

That’s so good to know!! Thank you!

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