a pest bored into my phalaenopsis - Orchid Board

vabene · #1 06-12-2010, 12:34 AM

about a year ago a friend gave me an orchid which had been transplanted into dirt. I repotted it into some moss and a little bark and it immediately began to thrive with new roots, leaves and then a stem with buds. The first flower opened about 2 months ago and was beautiful, but about 2weeks ago, I notices that it had wilted. Since then the leaves have been turning yellow. Tonight when i pulled one off, I noticed that the underside of the leaf had a white residue that looks like a cocoon from a moth or some larva. When i checked the plant more carefully, it seems that something has bored into the base of the plant. Any suggestions about what this could be?

RosieC · #2 06-12-2010, 05:14 AM

My first guess is Mealy Bugs but I've never actually had them so I'm not sure.

Can you take a pic of the underside of the leaf and where it has bored in, that might help identify it.

If you need help posting pics take a look at this link.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...chidboard.html

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #3 06-12-2010, 06:02 AM

Mealies don't bore into things. It's not a mealie, it's something else.

Quite possibly a caterpillar to a species of moth of some sort like you said, idk.

Maybe some sort of boring beetle, again, idk.

A pic might help to better pinpoint the pest, but I don't know how much identifying the culprit would help you.

cb977 · #4 06-12-2010, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vabene

about a year ago a friend gave me an orchid which had been transplanted into dirt. I repotted it into some moss and a little bark and it immediately began to thrive with new roots, leaves and then a stem with buds. The first flower opened about 2 months ago and was beautiful, but about 2weeks ago, I notices that it had wilted. Since then the leaves have been turning yellow. Tonight when i pulled one off, I noticed that the underside of the leaf had a white residue that looks like a cocoon from a moth or some larva. When i checked the plant more carefully, it seems that something has bored into the base of the plant. Any suggestions about what this could be?

Hi and

The description of the white stuff sounds like mealies but as Philip said, they don't bore into things

At this point, it doesn't really matter what it is...it has to be removed

I use a 50/50 mix of 409 cleaner and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle to remove any pests. Spray it and then rinse it...a nice blast of water from a sprayer should dislodge what's left after the 409/alcohol kills it

Do you have any other orchids...yet?

trdyl · #5 06-12-2010, 08:01 AM

Welcome to OB!

Gin · #6 06-12-2010, 09:46 AM

Hi , Google Orchid weevil just an idea . Welcome to OB..

cb977 · #7 06-12-2010, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gin

Hi , Google Orchid weevil just an idea . Welcome to OB..

Well...isn't that one ugly critter?

johnblagg · #8 06-12-2010, 10:38 AM

well Borers are usually problematic to kill sice they do "bore" in and then stay in the bore they made so you really need to get whatever you use into where they live...

One way to do this is use a small srynge like comes with a ink refill kit for printers and carefully insert into the bore a tiny bit and "inject" whatever you choose to use to kill it.

Another option is a systemic insecticide but waiting for it to get into the whole plant may take too long and the borer may do way to much damge by then to save the plant....

another optin is to try a thin flexible wire and carefully poke into the hold and try and stab the sucker "EN Garde" LOl

They do have some pesticides just for borers that come in small tubes and have a thin applicator tip to "inject" the stuff but I have not seen this in a long time around here.

Oh and another option that might work is mineral oil or even a small amount of three in one oil squirted in the bore suffocate the little beast

vabene · #9 06-12-2010, 11:19 PM

Thanks for all the welcomes and the advice. I don't think i can take a picture because the spot is quite small. And since i don't have any 409 on hand I tried the poking into the hole technique to see if I might be able to squish what's in there. When I did, it seems as though the spot is NOT a hole! I am hoping that whatever it was stayed in the last leaf I took off. When I pulled it off it didn't occur to me to try to check it for a bug. i am going to try to repot the plant tomorrow into fresh medium. There is still a stalk with a couple of buds developing. Should I cut it off to allow the plant to revive?

Also i do have one more orchid of the same type. Now i am worried about that one. I think i may have overwatered it. i will transplant both of them with sterilized pots.