Pest is eating my phalaenopsis and dendrobium buds

[RobS]

I'd go with weevils to as most likely suspect.

[KonaLinda]

Originally Posted by Bob S

I live in Hawaii and grow my orchids outside under shade cloth. Just in last few days, buds from phal and dend have been eaten. Spikes are stripped clean. In a couple of cases the spike on the phal is eaten right off. I am thinking birds, as in bulbuls? Never happened before. We have some monster geckos and lizards. Do they eat buds? I am sooooo annoyed.

Does the damange happen at night? Cockroaches could be responsible.

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by KonaLinda

Does the damange happen at night? Cockroaches could be responsible.

We have lot's of lizards and geckos in Florida and I've never known them to eat buds or foliage. Iguanas, however, will eat blossoms and fruit. Parrots will eat flowers too. Maybe someone's pet escaped.

[dbfive]

I searched the forum and saw this thread....exactly the same problem here. We have lots of Lizards here in SW Florida and that is the only critter that is able to find it's way onto my screen porch where my orchids are kept. I've not caught them in the act yet, but it's the only answer. 2nd bloom season in a row that I have lost bloom shoots and buds due to them. Wasn't sure of the solution until I saw the cotton suggestion on another post. Going to try it!

[RJSquirrel]

my best guess as I have had something similar and what I found was some small caterpillars or some kind of larvael worm/ or fly maggot. You got to get out there at night with a flashlight and see whats up after dark. I should have saved the worm but I have plenty of odd flies in and out around the greenhouse. While lizards dont eat the bloom or the bud, there isnt any rules against them taking a bit of it if it contains a meal ya know.

I you want to stop the bugs you got to think like a bug

[james mickelso]

If it happens in the day time it could very well be paper wasps. Yellow jackets also eat flower buds. They have been known to cut the stalks of dalias. They are making nests. My poppies were decimated two years ago.