An interesting story on cycads by Don Pinnock in the getaway magazine.
Don Pinnock - Getaway Don Pinncock
To prevent a cycad from losing too much moisture when transplanting, one of the small things you should do is to seal the leaf stalk at the cycad trunck with triseal. Remember to cut off the leaf as close as possible to the stem. That will also help to prevent damage by the scale breaking out off the stem when transporting and the cycad have to be laid down.
Notice the seed cracking open just before the first leaves appears.
The only cycad that has this occurance, so if you buy a Hirsutus seedling with seeds still attached and is not cracked "Be Aware".
Check this out. Ants on your Cycad, "ouch" out comes the poison and there goes the ants and the mealy bugs.
Please first find out what they are doing before destroying the poor ants and mealy bugs.
Times have changed, that was the old South Africa.
Don't we all miss the old South Africa?