Cottony - White Mealybug

[SADE2020]

Hi Everyone,

In a video about ecological treatments I have seen a recipe that includes: Vinegar + Vegetable Oil + Bicarbonate to eliminate or eradicate the cottony mealybug. Has anyone used this on their orchids?

I am having a breakout of mealybugs and no alcohol, soap, neither 3 in 1, no neen oil have helped me. I've lost a lot of beautiful and long waiting flowers from the collection due to this pet attack.

I'm super sad, I think I even have some depression

Please 🙏 help!

[realoldbeachbum]

Don't despair, Sade. I am sure an expert on this Orchid Board has used your homemade solution -- or has an alternative. I personally have not. Bayer 3in1 has totally erradicated my infestation Can you not get at your location?

[rbarata]

If you still can find something systemic based on Imidacloprid or Thiacloprid, it will take care of it. These are neonicotinoids, banned from EU but there might be some stock left (Calypso, by Bayer).
The most common alternative to it are pyrethroids.
Even though, you must repot the affected plants with fresh medium.

[Dimples]

I haven’t used any mixture like that but be especially careful with vinegar. It is an effective herbicide at higher concentrations and even dilute applications can damage foliage.

Mixing vinegar + baking soda/bicarbonate will deactivate both to some extent.

Unless there’s some soap or another emulsifier in the recipe, you’ll probably end up with the concoction separating out of the water (assuming you’ll mix it with water) or refusing to remain mixed like a homemade salad dressing would.

If you have dexterous hands, try wrapping tape (sticky side facing out) tightly around the flower stems. It won’t eradicate them but it will stop them from reaching the flowers. If they climb up they’ll get stuck to the tape.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by realoldbeachbum

Don't despair, Sade. I am sure an expert on this Orchid Board has used your homemade solution -- or has an alternative. I personally have not. Bayer 3in1 has totally erradicated my infestation Can you not get at your location?

Thank you ROBB.
I haven't try Bayer brand ...but I can get it but not with same component as in the USA.

---------- Post added at 01:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:57 AM ----------

Originally Posted by rbarata

If you still can find something systemic based on Imidacloprid or Thiacloprid, it will take care of it. These are neonicotinoids, banned from EU but there might be some stock left (Calypso, by Bayer).
The most common alternative to it are pyrethroids.
Even though, you must repot the affected plants with fresh medium.

Ok!!! Thks.
Any particular product name in PT that I can search? Cuz if I search just the ingredient name in English doesn't come out ..

Calypso is imposible..I have try and try..for cochinillas for the garden but only in Latin America they have it.

---------- Post added at 01:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:17 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Dimples

Unless there’s some soap or another emulsifier in the recipe...

If you have dexterous hands, try wrapping tape (sticky side facing out) tightly around the flower stems. It won’t eradicate them but it will stop them from reaching the flowers. If they climb up they’ll get stuck to the tape.

Omg good trick the tape one.

I guessed that the oil function as the soup..but make sense the salad example with leaves.[COLOR="Silver"]

[rbarata]

Bayer Advanced 3-In-1 has Imidacloprid in its composition but I'm not sure if that's available in EU.
I don't know any product name or brand as I still can get Calypso form stock remnants.

[Leafmite]

Good luck! The only time I ever successfully got rid of mealy bugs (for a couple of years!) was when I sprayed all my plants with olive oil in the evening and spent most of the next day washing it off of my plants with warm, soapy water. It is such a pain to get the olive oil off of the leaves that I have not done it again and I would not recommend it for very small, thin-leaved orchids/plants.

[estación seca]

Completely submerge your plants upside down (so medium doesn't float out) in a bucket of water with a small amount of soap. Put a weight on the bottom of the pot to hold everything under water. Leave it to soak for 6-8 hours.

This does not kill mealy bug eggs on the furniture and walls.

[Fuerte Rav]

Hi Sade

Not had to use it on an orchid, thank goodness, but I'm having some success in the garden using Piriproxifen 10. I've got 2 lots on the go, one from Batlle and one from Sipcam, so widely available in Spain.

Good luck!

[RJSquirrel]

actually if you let loose some lady bugs and praying mantis in your home they will eat the bugs. you will have bugs in your home but they wont be eating the plants. Soft-bodied insects are probably the ladybug’s favorite food to eat.

I use to buy bags of lady bugs and mantis egg sacks.

natural pest predators

only bugs I had was Fire Ants and Orthene knocks their butts out and dont ever hurt the orchids. Jus smells really bad!!


and yes orchids can crush your spirit equal to the level of joy they can bring. I suffer for the joy. Dont we all?