Question
John, I am in Central Texas and have a sago palm that has little brown spots down the center of each leaf on top and bottom.  It has rained a lot here lately.  This situation started on a few leaves and is working its way to the other side of the plant and it looks like it is killing the plant in the process.  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Mike,

Most likely what you are seeing is a scale insect infestation.  They appear as small flat, oval to circular dots on the fronds of the cycad. Once the insect establishes a feeding site, they do not move, but rather suck the plant sap and create a sticky "honeydew" in their excrement.  Many times there will be ants that feed on this honeydew so the stickiness may not be apparent.  These small insects can be removed by scratching with a fingernail, and under the point of attachment you should see a pale green spot.  In heavy infestations, the entire frond can turn yellow and die.

To confirm this, take a very, very close look at your Sago for small white "crawlers", the juveniles of scale insect species.  They usually can be found along the leaf petiole or stem.  

If you find the juveniles, then you should contact your local garden center for appropriate treatment.  Many find horticultural oils useful on very large plants, but the application is very temperature sensitive.  On small, container grown plants, you can use a toothbrush and soapy water to physically remove the scales.  The oils "suffocate" the scale insect, but it does not remove the dead insects, so other methods (strong water pressure outdoors or toothbrush indoors) can remove the unsightly dead insects.

Be careful to treat both sides of the fronds and all plant parts that are accessible.