Is it bugs or a fungus?
Login
User Name
Password   


Registration is FREE. Click to become a member of OrchidBoard community
(You're NOT logged in)

menu menu

Sponsor
Donate Now
and become
Forum Supporter.

Is it bugs or a fungus?
Many perks!
<...more...>


Sponsor
 

Google


Fauna Top Sites
Register Is it bugs or a fungus? Members Is it bugs or a fungus? Is it bugs or a fungus? Today's PostsIs it bugs or a fungus? Is it bugs or a fungus? Is it bugs or a fungus?
LOG IN/REGISTER TO CLOSE THIS ADVERTISEMENT
Go Back   Orchid Board - Most Complete Orchid Forum on the web ! > >
Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-29-2007, 01:32 PM
Demeter Demeter is offline
Jr. Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2007
Zone: 8b
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 3
Is it bugs or a fungus? Female
Default Is it bugs or a fungus?

I'm a beginner. I have these two orchid and one (the phalaenopsis) has wilted leaves, the other has something more serious. They are both indoor only. Can anyone please offer advice about what may be wrong and how to fix it?

I've taken them to a couple of nurseries to ask what's wrong, but they don't seem to know much about orchids. They just tell me I'm overwatering, but changing the amount of water given and frequency had no effect after 2 weeks.

Here are the photos:
Mtssa. Shelob
Mtssa. Shelob 2
Mtssa. Shelob 3
phalaenopsis
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-29-2007, 02:07 PM
Ross Ross is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Posts: 9,277
Default

The Miltassia may have spider mite or thrips. It's hard to tell from these photos. Usually occurs when environment is too dry. Plant looks healthy though, so I am not sure what to tell you. Phal looks like it was kept too wet. If you've backed off water, then it will take more than 2 weeks to see an improvement. If it were mine, I would get rid of moss and repot in coarse bark mix (or the equivilant.) That's just what I would do. It'll probably pull through if you don't get tempted to water too much.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-29-2007, 08:03 PM
reinbo15 reinbo15 is offline
Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2007
Zone: 5b
Location: Okemos, MI
Age: 44
Posts: 85
Is it bugs or a fungus? Female
Default

I agree with Ross. The photo isn't close up enough to show if there are any insects there. If we could see them in a photo, you surely would yourself. If you had been over-watering, the roots would be rotten. Changing your watering habits is good, but it won't bring back the rotten roots. You should pull those plants you suspect were over-watered out of their pots and trim back any dead or rotten roots, then re-pot in fresh medium. If all the roots are dead, then we have a whole other topic entirely, and that would be a rescue mission! Hope that is somewhat helpful.

Lisa
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-30-2007, 01:58 PM
Demeter Demeter is offline
Jr. Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2007
Zone: 8b
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 3
Is it bugs or a fungus? Female
Default Repotting

Thanks for the feedback. Well, this morning I tried both solutions. I repotted both orchids, trimmed off what I supposed were dead roots (which, for the most part, were), and sprayed them with a mite pesticide designed for flowering plants. There weren't many dead roots, from what I could tell. It probably wasn't a good idea to repot the phalaenopsis while it was spiking, but I don't have anywhere to store extra repotting bark until it's finished flowering.

Unfortunately, those photos were as close up as my camera gets. I can't see any actual bugs, more of a tiny fluffy white substance. Based on browsing the net, I thought the fluffy white stuff might be boisduval? scale. Could that be right?
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-30-2007, 09:16 PM
reinbo15 reinbo15 is offline
Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2007
Zone: 5b
Location: Okemos, MI
Age: 44
Posts: 85
Is it bugs or a fungus? Female
Default

Boisduval scale is a type I have no experience with, so I can't say if that is what you have there. I would recommend you search powdery mildew and mineral deposits, though. Those are two things that can create a white substance like the one in the photo. Usually mineral deposits build up in the potting mix, but that is kind of what it looks like. It's a little isolated for powdery mildew, but I can't see it that well either. Maybe those searches will bring up a photo that looks like what you have. If what you have IS scale, you can just wash it off with soapy water. Then check again weekly.

Lisa
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
mtssa, nurseries, phalaenopsis, shelob, wrong, fungus, bugs


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Is it bugs or a fungus? Demeter Beginner Discussion 0 08-29-2007 01:29 PM
Best orchid fertilizer , orchid fungus ... gore.m Beginner Discussion 4 07-28-2007 03:06 PM
sow/pill bugs? mealies? harmful? philoserenus Pests & Diseases 4 07-07-2007 12:44 PM
Bugs and Fungus kbdsyd Beginner Discussion 0 04-29-2007 07:02 PM
What in the heck are these bugs? amaliaforce Pests & Diseases 2 03-30-2007 11:47 PM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:20 PM.

© 2007 OrchidBoard.com
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.37 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.

Clubs vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.