i've seen more pests in the last two days than in my entire orchid career!
i've really gotten into angraecums recently. i have three Angraecum magdalenae seedlings from various places, two larger magdalenae plants, and a Lemforde 'white beauty.'
i JUST got the really big magdalenae and lemforde in the mail two days ago. i knew that this particular vendor wasn't the most modern and that the plants' condition wouldn't be the same caliber as say, Oak Hill Gardens. but larger Ang. magdalenae are (at least for me) really hard to find. As a side note- I paid $70 for the magdalenae. that's a record amount for me
when i got them in the mail, i placed them in a section away from my other plants. today i watered them for the first time. i sat them in a bucket of water, so the water would rise to the rim. after a few minutes ALL KINDS OF CRITTERS EMERGED! there were snails, slugs, centipedes, milipedes (yes, both), and some super tiny flea-like things that are offwhite and jump super fast.. still don't know what those are.
i'm paniced!
i'm not asking for a refund or complaining to the vendor, they're elderly and i'm just glad i was able to find a plant this size.
i don't want to use some super insecticide because i don't want to injure the plant. i also don't want to kill any good fungus/bacteria. there's no way i can repot it because angraecums are so sensitive about repotting. it's almost winter and i think that would do more harm then good.
i don't regret buying them... despite the bugs... the cracked pot... the slimey moss/algae/dirt all over it....
if anyone has experience with Angraecums.. specificially magdalenae.. i could definitely use some advice.. if this were just one particular pest on a less rare (and expensive) plant i would be a little less calculated in my approach. but i want to really be sure before i make any actions.