Mites on Anguloa leads

[Angurek]

I recently acquired two lycastinae (among other orchids), both of which are currently entering their growth phase. Last night, I was both disgusted and horrified to find a plethora of mites swarming all over the three new leads on my Anguloa. When I exposed them to the light to see them better, they scurried into the medium like the little cowards that they are.

Does anyone know how to get rid of these pests? I've heard about the oil and water method, for example, but I wanted to know other ways to kill the mites (and what the big guns are, should things get out of hand). I isolated the plant from its neighbors, none of which appear to have mites (but I'll keep checking each night to see how extensive the infestation is). I want to stop this invasion as quickly as I can.

[DavidCampen]

Here is a good assortment of the big guns:
Miticides

I have Avid, Floramite SC and Tetrasan WDG. All are expensive but the growers of a certain herb use Floramite so you can find it repackaged into 1 ounce bottles for sale on ebay.

[Bud]

heres a simple cheap home remedy:

10 drops of dish soap(any kind)
1/2 teaspoon of cinammon extract(find it in the supermarket ailse with vanilla and almond extract Mc Kormick is the brand I saw)
2 cups of tepid water from the sink
mix it and spray the whole plant then soak the pot in a basin of this mix for 5 min
repeat it the next week...have 2 weeks rest and then repeat it again for 2 weeks until the bugs are all gone
I spray it on cockroaches,ants, spiders... mosquitos and flies fall to the floor in mid flight when hit with the mix...
I got that mix from another forum...last year...it worked for me and its only fair that I share it with everyone.

[glengary54]

Originally Posted by Angurek

I recently acquired two lycastinae (among other orchids), both of which are currently entering their growth phase. Last night, I was both disgusted and horrified to find a plethora of mites swarming all over the three new leads on my Anguloa. When I exposed them to the light to see them better, they scurried into the medium like the little cowards that they are.

Does anyone know how to get rid of these pests? I've heard about the oil and water method, for example, but I wanted to know other ways to kill the mites (and what the big guns are, should things get out of hand). I isolated the plant from its neighbors, none of which appear to have mites (but I'll keep checking each night to see how extensive the infestation is). I want to stop this invasion as quickly as I can.

Carl - What you are describing are not mites. Mites don't scurry and they don't live in the potting, you will find them on the undersides of leafs.

I would just use whatever insecticide that you normally use.

[Angurek]

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

Here is a good assortment of the big guns:
Miticides

I have Avid, Floramite SC and Tetrasan WDG. All are expensive but the growers of a certain herb use Floramite so you can find it repackaged into 1 ounce bottles for sale on ebay.

Thanks for the link. Those are indeed very expensive. If things get too out of hand (which I hope is not the case), I'll probably be looking for cheaper dilutions of the said chemicals. I'm not sure I want to pay $300 or so on a chemical that could potentially kill my plants and not remedy the situation.

Originally Posted by Bud

heres a simple cheap home remedy:

10 drops of dish soap(any kind)
1/2 teaspoon of cinammon extract(find it in the supermarket ailse with vanilla and almond extract Mc Kormick is the brand I saw)
2 cups of tepid water from the sink
mix it and spray the whole plant then soak the pot in a basin of this mix for 5 min
repeat it the next week...have 2 weeks rest and then repeat it again for 2 weeks until the bugs are all gone
I spray it on cockroaches,ants, spiders... mosquitos and flies fall to the floor in mid flight when hit with the mix...
I got that mix from another forum...last year...it worked for me and its only fair that I share it with everyone.

Interesting idea. I'll give it a try later today.

Originally Posted by glengary54

Carl - What you are describing are not mites. Mites don't scurry and they don't live in the potting, you will find them on the undersides of leafs.

I would just use whatever insecticide that you normally use.

I'm pretty sure that they are, but I suppose a dose of insecticide wouldn't hurt.

[gnathaniel]

Mites are REALLY tiny, I've never been able to see them without magnification. Sounds more like thrips to me. What Bud described ought to get rid of them or at least compromise the population for a while. Good luck!

--Nat