Pest life - part one

[Eduardo_Addad]

These are pests we have in Brazil. I suppose that some are ubiquitous, and you can find they at your greenhouse.

Part one is about a little wasp. It lay eggs inside the tips of new roots. The larvae grow and the root tip gets larger. They attack new shoots, too.
Cut if off. Look for more.

To all insects and mites, the best solution are entomopatogenic fungi: Metarrizium, Beauveria and Lecaniclilium. They are usually sold as powder with conidium (reproductive spores) or an oil suspension. Powder is better. You can keep at the home refrigerator, inside a zipbag, and 1 kg will last for 1-2 years for the non-commercial grower.
I had not used any kind of pesticide (insiticide, acaricide...) for the last 4 years.

[Eduardo_Addad]

Now some other insects. The big eaters.

Can you find the one at the DSC04207?

[Gin]

I think I found it ,looks just like part of the plant , What the heck is it if I am right

[Eduardo_Addad]

These are aphids. Ants are responsable to introduce aphids at the soft parts of a plant. They treat them just like cattle, as they produce a sweet liquid, and protect the aphids agains possible predators. The same for scales.

[Eduardo_Addad]

This is the worst. Nightmare at our low south hemisphere latitude: Tenthecoris, a bicoloured bug, very fast, very shy, it hides under leaves, under the pot, you quite never see it. White spots are formed where is eats, as enzymes destroy the tissues. But this is the least bad consequence.

As the other insects and mites, Tenthecoris transmits virus, bacteria and fungi. In slow spreading diseases, you can see the circular and concentric pattern of growing, around the puncture (next thread).

[RosieC]

Good bug pictures. The first is espeically interesting as you wouldn't know the cause until the broke out.

I can't spot the hidden one though. You got better eyes than me Gin.

[RobS]

Good to see there is also disadvantages to grow orchids in the tropics as sometimes I envy you.