I found scale... but only one... now i'm confused - Orchid Board

let_it_grow · #1 11-28-2008, 06:43 PM

I inspect my plants on a regular basis and one day i found 1 scale on a Phal that i have had for 6+ months. I promptly checked over the entire plant and with a Q-tip and some peroxide i cleaned every inch of every leaf and did not find ANYTHING else. I inspected all my other plans and found nothing. I put the Phal in another room. Fast forward 3 weeks and i have still not found any other scale on any plants. How is it possible that i have a plant for 6+ months and find only 1 scale bug? How long should i continue to inspect. I actually had a nightmare last night that my Paph was in bloom and she was infested with scale. Please help. Is it possible to only have one?

let_it_grow · #2 11-28-2008, 06:46 PM

I forgot to add that i dont see any signs of scale anywhere either, no brown spots or yellowing leaves and i do check both sides of the leaf and closely inspect the base of the Phal to make sure they arent hiding in the crevices.

let_it_grow · #3 12-06-2008, 06:05 PM

I'm pushing myself to the top cause I'm still worried. How long should i keep my eye on the phal? I have still only found one scale and have been cleaning it and checking it regularly but i need to move it to an area with more light and i dont wanna move it next to my other plants until i know that the scale is gone. Please help

Chubidubi · #4 12-06-2008, 06:45 PM

I had the same problem once. There were these tiny ants all over the phal and I think that they carried it over somehow. I took out the scale with alcohol and eliminated the ants. I watched the plants for weeks and nothing. The scale was eliminated that day!
Maybe you'll be that lucky too

camille1585 · #5 12-06-2008, 06:50 PM

I'm sorry your posts were overlooked. Too be on the safe side I would keep it apart from the others for a few weeks. That way if that lone scale laid eggs, you'll give them time to hatch and then you can treat the plant. If the plant remains clean, then maybe you can put it back with the others. A few weeks with less light shouldn't be a big problem for the phal.

Ross · #6 12-06-2008, 06:52 PM

Scale comes. Scale goes. That's the nature with these guys. It's entirely possible the eggs or crawlers for the scale insects were disrupted. Maybe lack of moisture? Maybe too much water? Maybe a random spraying for something else? Just too many possibles to consider. The only thing I can tell you for certain, if it keeps coming back, it is from the watering of another infected plant close by. I fight scale weekly, but it's not anything to lose sleep over. Control is the best you can expect unless you have "nailed" the one guy that would have caused an outbreak. Then "good for you!"