Mealy Bugs =(

[Zoey339]

Hello,

I have a fairly large collection of Phals. I noticed 2 days ago one was dropping leaves. On inspection I found tiny mealybugs around the leaf joints. I unpotted the plant. Cleaned it the best I could with alcohol, boiled and clean media and pots. Just to find an adult mealybug on one of the flowers after. Maybe it was dead? Since then this morning I found an adult on the plant next to it and a nest in the roots on the plants next to that one. I'm looking hard to find them, they aren't very noticeable. Help?? Repotting everybody is really not feasible. First reason rubbing alcohol is very hard to find now a days and I don't have enough to treat 30 orchids. Second I have a tenancy to kill orchids when they are repotted and some are not in the best shape already. Is there a easily solution? Like an insecticide to add in the water would be super!

[Ray]

Alcohol will never rid your collection of all insects. They live on the root system, in addition to the upper part of the plant.

I find that acephate, applied three times at one-week intervals, is one of the best treatments.

[Zoey339]

Originally Posted by Ray

Alcohol will never rid your collection of all insects. They live on the root system, in addition to the upper part of the plant.

I find that acephate, applied three times at one-week intervals, is one of the best treatments.

thank you. How is it applied? Looks like it says 3 times a week in the water?

[rbarata]

Imidacloprid is the way to go...or any other systemic pesticide.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Zoey339

thank you. How is it applied? Looks like it says 3 times a week in the water?

Yes, 1 tsp/gal. It is best to spray the plants, wetting all surfaces, and soak the medium each time.

[ghuylar]

When I see pests, I spray hydrogen peroxide on the affected areas and root system. It kills the bugs and eggs that it touches, and then I repeat every other day until the pests are gone! Works very well and effectively!

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Imidacloprid is the way to go...or any other systemic pesticide.

Imidaloprid is super effective. It is banned I think in some countries, as it's a bee killer (maybe). The bee goes to a flower of a plant with imidacloprid in it ---- not necessarily an orchid ---- and something happens to them (the bees that is).

But I do keep this substance in my kit. I don't have bees in the area of the orchids here.

[rbarata]

Imidaloprid is super effective. It is banned I think in some countries, as it's a bee killer (maybe).

It's a bee killer indeed. Must never be used when in bloom. I also have it as a backup and only use it in desperate cases and when there's no blooms around.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by ghuylar

When I see pests, I spray hydrogen peroxide on the affected areas and root system. It kills the bugs and eggs that it touches, and then I repeat every other day until the pests are gone! Works very well and effectively!

Hydrogen peroxide may kill bugs, but it kills roots too. Keep it away from roots, which have tiny hairs that are destroyed by the H2O2.

[Zoey339]

Thanks. Just ordered some Acephate. Checked all the orchids in the neighborhood of the infected ones and didnt find any signs of more. Not sure where they came from, none of the orchids infected or in that area are new orchids.