Den. Unicum - Orchid Board

Waterdog111 · #1 06-15-2024, 08:12 PM

This little plant, I brought inside when it had one blum and was starting at least one more. It liked it out there but one morning the next bud looked wrong, and when I looked closer there was a catapiller about the same size as the bulb chewing on it. There went that bulb.so inside she went. Now the little plant doesnt look as happy. Guess Ill have to take it back out and try to figure out how to keep those hungry bugs off it. I hate poisons.

Waterdog111 · #2 06-15-2024, 08:30 PM

Boy, thats been chewed on all over and the leaves too.

Roberta · #3 06-15-2024, 08:46 PM

Fortunately, this is a species that grows new leaves each spring (and tends to lose them in the winter.) So if the pseudobulb is firm and roots are good, it'll do fine.

For caterpillars... fortunately the treatment is not toxic to anything except larve - BT (bacillus thuringiensis), Thuricide is one brand name but there are others. Dilute according to directions, put in a spray bottle, and give your plants a good bath. (It's also used for tomato worms, the fruit can be eaten on the same day it is sprayed, it's totally harmless to humans. It's even harmless to adult insects, so it wan't hurt bees either). It is SOOO disappointing, I feel your pain (I have a Dendromium wilsonii that was covered with buds on 4 growths, blooms on bare canes. And then I had buds only 2 canes, only 1 had allits floers I found the little bastard and took great delight in squishing it.

Waterdog111 · #4 06-15-2024, 09:12 PM

Thats what I did.

Roberta · #5 06-15-2024, 09:15 PM

Squishing works with slugs and snails as well, and is just as satisfying .

(Unfortunately for those non-toxic treatments not so available)

Waterdog111 · #6 06-19-2024, 10:45 PM

Oh, since you mentioned I also have a lot of snails too. They are around although I havent caught them in the act. Im sure they have. I have all the different pests even had aphids on my necterine tree, about the time I got rid of them with a spray-I got the pleasant suprise of lady bug. Shouldnt have taken their food. We do use too much poison.
Years ago there was a much larger population of horny toads(they love ants)that was until we humans killed
off a huge amount of them with fire ant poison.