It prefers wetter areas and is why it can often be fund in gully's however it does like the soil to be free draining rather than waterlogged. On the underside of the fronds in silk tunnels, the tiny caterpillar of the "puniu spore-eater" moth can be found living and eating the spores from the fern. There are also caterpillars from the "pale fern looper" and "zigzag fern looper" moth that feed on the fronds. The plant is also favored by deer and possums. In general, aphids, brown fern scale, caterpillars, mealy bug, slugs and snails are the most commonly parasites to attack ferns. Other problems and diseases could be acid rot, algae, fungus diseases and moulding. The Prickly Shield Fern is in a large abundance and its current conservation status is not threatened and has been for the past 14 years. The etymology of Polystichum comes from the Greek words "polus" and "stikhos", which can be translated as "many rows" and can be referred to the parallel rows of spore cases on the underside of the fronds. Vestitum has its origins from the Latin "vestire" and means "clothed", which denotes from the dense cover of the scales on its leaf stalks.