White insects or mites on Trichopilia. What are they & How do I get rid of them?

[BrassavolaStars]

Hello all,

I recently accidentally introduced a pest into my greenhouse. I have a gardenia that I bought from the NYBG that apparently had a pest problem. Before I knew it was infested I put it in my greenhouse. Big mistake.

The gardenia was sitting next to a trichopilia suavis which now has the same pest. What is this pest and how do I get rid of it? I might add they are also very, very small. I am fine with any method that will truly remove these pests.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Malathion. You can get it at any Lowe's or similar store. Mix according to the package directions and spray all plants in the vicinity of the infestation. It will kill adults, larvae, and eggs. It is also not harmful to mammals. The state of California used it in the seventies to combat the Mediterranean fruit fly invasion via aerial spraying over populated areas with no ill effects. I have been using it for decades. It is cheap and effective.

[Roberta]

I can't see how many legs these have... 8 and its a mite or other arachnid, 6 and it's an insect. You can knock it down superficially (like for the moment) with the soapy water or neem oil treatment. But then you'll want to follow up with stronger stuff... pyrethrins will kill both mites and insects, I think... or a combination product such as whatever was substituted for Bayer's Advanced which is also systemic at least for insects.

[jcec1]

Originally Posted by Dusty Ol' Man

Malathion. You can get it at any Lowe's or similar store. Mix according to the package directions and spray all plants in the vicinity of the infestation. It will kill adults, larvae, and eggs. It is also not harmful to mammals. The state of California used it in the seventies to combat the Mediterranean fruit fly invasion via aerial spraying over populated areas with no ill effects. I have been using it for decades. It is cheap and effective.

Malathion in the UK has been banned for almost 20 years. According to research here, Malathion has also been linked to cancer and can impair the respiratory system and cause confusion, headaches and weakness.

Just shows the craziness in differing regulations in different countries

[Clawhammer]

Looks like aphid exo-skeletons.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by jcec1

Malathion in the UK has been banned for almost 20 years. According to research here, Malathion has also been linked to cancer and can impair the respiratory system and cause confusion, headaches and weakness.

Just shows the craziness in differing regulations in different countries

I guess the phrase 'use responsibly' should come into play.
I use it on plants when there are infestations. I don't breathe/ingest/ handle without gloves the product. I hasn't hurt anything in my care yet, and I raised two kids around the stuff. Anything used to excess has been linked to cancer.