Its definately common. This is the first year that ive had scale on my plants, but I think most of my palms are infected by it at least a little. my coconut palm had a severe case of it, but it seems to be doing a little better now after I washed it with lots of rubbing alcohol.

Good luck, Coffee grinds are a great fix, I hear neem oil also works, and I have had pretty good success with rubbing alcohol.

I have never had a problem with Asian scale on palms. I have seen it on a palm that was close to a cycad but after I sprayed the palm and cycad with cygon the scale was gone.It came back on the cycad almost 6 months later and I reapplied on the cycad and the soil around it and they were gone for close to a year only to return. I think there are so many cycads affected even if you get rid of it, it will come back.

I think I might have this on my cerifera.Ive never had this on anything before.Does this look like white specks on the fronds?Since the palm fronds or blue they stick out good.I cut off a fried looking frond and looked at them under a magnafieing glass to see if they look like a bug,but it just looks like a white hard speck.They dont look like a bug,they dont move.Does this sound like the same thig you have?Its on the one I have inside.

Yes, little white specs and they don't move, hence the name "Scale". I've been growing palms for many years and this is the first time I've ever seen it on a actual palm. I gave up on growing Cycads a couple years back because of this dreaded scale problem.

Thanks for the info. I have this on only one palm and its in a pot in the house,what should I do?I notice that its only on the smaller trunks of the cerifera.Its has three trunks,its a 15 gallon and I dont want to loose it.Its a exspensive and kinda rare palm,I noticed that its not on the largest trunk just the small ones.What is the best treatment since its in the house?I dont like the idea of useing chemicals indoors.What causes this and what does it do to the plant?Is this why I have fried looking fronds that I have to cut off?I have two 15 gallon sagos inside also,I dont see it on them.Should I keep them away from the cerifera?How does this spread?I plan on planting it in the yard next spring.Will washing all the potting soil off the palm roots help when I get ready to plant it?Once I get it off the fronds first.

I know home depot has some indoor insecticides but don't know the names.Regular scale can get on a palm sometimes but is easy to kill.I believe there is a horticultural oil you can use to kill it.

I've had to deal with a kind of woolly scale on my Pygmy Date Palms many times. What's worked best for me is a mix of carbaryl and surfactant, both according to bottle directions, sprayed on the leaves and poured into the bud. It's not good for furniture, so take it outside (on a mild day) or into the greenhouse, or in the bathtub to do it. Repeat every two weeks 2-3 times. Also works on red scale and mealybugs. Systemic insecticides also work, but can take a year or two.

Good luck!
Kevin : )