insect controll

[ericst11]

thanks everyone for all the info and i started to use bonide systemic insect control spray because i use a rock medium . . i was woundering how long i should have to use this or should i just keep it up til its gone and use it here and there after its gone. thanks

[Ray]

Rule #1: ALWAYS read the instructions on the package.

Generally, you'll need to do three or four very thorough treatments - wetting all of the plant surfaces and soaking the medium - spaced a week apart, in order to kill the adults and newly-maturing ones.

In most terrestrial plants, systemic insecticides appear to have about a 30-day longevity, but I have seen no similar documentation dealing with orchids, so who knows?

Rule #2: DO NOT use insecticides as a preventive measure (or a "preventative" one, if you prefer to use nonexistent words). Because, inevitably, you will expose some bugs to the poison in a dose that is insufficient to kill them, it is possible for them to build up resistance to the chemical, pass that on to their progeny, and voila! you have developed a resistant strain that can no longer be killed by that poison's mechanism.