D. and Mclna helpie - Page 2 - Orchid Board

Blondie · #11 03-31-2008, 04:56 PM

Something is wrong with the den now. I put pix in the pests section if anyone can help!!

(..._...) · #12 03-31-2008, 05:09 PM

whats the sticky stuff? was it there before?

Some times I've had plants that drop a leaf after bringing it home. Maybe its just not used to the environment. Or maybe its staying wetter than it was in a well ventilated greenhouse...

maybe somebody else knows if there is another explanation

(..._...) · #13 03-31-2008, 05:21 PM

ohh ..i just read ur other post.

I have never had any spider mites or any other pests other than scale (that I have under control

) ummm..Have you checked the roots yet?, that coulf be why the leaf is turning yellow, if th roots are in poor condition. If those are pests, that have made a nest, then spraying should get rid of the problem.

Blondie · #14 03-31-2008, 05:32 PM

It got wet cause I sprayed it. Now I'm starting to suspect mealy bugs. Step 1: I took off the dying leaf. Step 2: I put the whole thing in the bathtub in water to loosen it up for repotting. After work, I'm going to implement Step 3: Douse with alcohol and repot. It has TONS of unopened buds on it, which is why I bought it, so I hope it's OK.

(..._...) · #15 03-31-2008, 05:41 PM

well mealy buys are pretty big, so I would think you would see them. If there is only a nest- like thing, then I dont think it is that type of pest. Could it be one of those spider webs? I once purchased an orchid with a spider on it, in a tunnel- like web.

(..._...) · #16 03-31-2008, 05:43 PM

oh and meally bugs are very cotton- like. What was the nest thing like before you sprayed it?

Blondie · #17 03-31-2008, 05:51 PM

Oh, I so wish I had taken a photo beforehand. But if mealy bugs are big, that wasn't it. They were very tiny bigs in a little cotton ball type nest. I couldn't make out any features--just little white specks. I've seen spider mites on other plants that stretch out their webs and I was able to see the bugs moving. This wasn't like that. It was just that one little ball. I blasted it and removed it. No marks under the leaf. Nothing moved or flew or jumped out at me (thank gawd). When I put it in the water bowl, nothing emerged. I'm hoping it was just too close to a sick plant at the orchid show (can you imagine what is lurking on an unclean table??) and caught a little bug. The other one I bought shows no signs of anything so far. For now. (crosses fingers)

(..._...) · #18 03-31-2008, 07:18 PM

yeah, google image search "mealy bugs"... and they are def. visable, and leave cotton-like stuff all over the leaves. You should probably be okay.

Blondie · #19 03-31-2008, 09:24 PM

I'll post this same reply in the pest board and here just in case you're only looking at one or the other:

So I may have overreacted. Or not.

I went to town, got two new pots, alcohol, cotton balls. I did one in the kitchen sink and one in the bathroom tub. They had been soaking in water while I was gone to loosen. Oddly enough, the one that seemed FINE beforehand had little bugs hopping around in the water and one very tiny thing that had like 100 legs. HUH???

Anyway, I took out all the old medium, doused the roots in alcohol (is that bad?), repotted, and then wiped down all the leaves with alcohol, too. The chids might be drunk now...

Then, as an extra precaution, I sprayed my phals down with the bug killer. Then I took all the trash outside even though it's raining to get it OUT of my house. BOOOO. My orchids have been nice and healthy for so long. Sigh. But I think it will be OK. (crosses fingers again) I'll be sure to keep you updated. But I have a strong feeling that the den will bud blast all 20 buds from all the disruption. I've been reading on here that dens are picky...

(..._...) · #20 03-31-2008, 09:41 PM

I've never had to use alcohol on any of my plants, so I don't know much about that. Maybe your just over reacting. The phals sould be fine, so I would wash the alcohol away from the roots. i have heard of people puting fungacide things on the roots, but i dont know about the alcohol. people whp have a large collection would probably know about this (I would start a new thread in the beginner section-- sometimes people don't seem asnwer/read already legnthy thread, and more people view the "beginner" section

)

about the bugs... it seems strage that they would have that "nest", yet live in the soil.

Could that large bug have been a centipede? I got one with one of my miltoniopsis, and it freajed me out!!!!!

How were the roots by the way? Did you re-pot both?