Bud's home made bug-remedy?

[Wynn Dee13]

Mutant- I also have had similar acting bugs on some of my plants since last year. The ones I have are small and are never actually on the plant, only in the medium. When I water they skip across the water and do not like water. After I water they all come out and crawl on the outside of my clay pots. After a year of trying to figure out what they are and finding that they don't hurt the plant(besides being disgusting) I figured out they are some sort of bug that feeds on decomposing plant material and it is usually a sign that the medium needs to be changed. They seem to only like the plants that need repotting and go away after I repot. I don't know if that is what you have but I thought I would tell you about my yucky bugs that seem to be a lot like yours. I'm going to write down that recipe too! Good luck!

[The Mutant]

Thank you very much guys! I knew I could count on you.

Originally Posted by Otis226

Er, actually it was Brookn's recipie. It was listed on another board under the heading of 'Best Stuff Ever'. And the above recipie is correct. Just to set the record straight.
Tony

Aha, I didn't know, thank you for the correction Tony. All I remember was that he (Bud) wrote somewhere that he used it and that it was very efficient.

Originally Posted by Wynn Dee13

Mutant- I also have had similar acting bugs on some of my plants since last year. The ones I have are small and are never actually on the plant, only in the medium. When I water they skip across the water and do not like water. After I water they all come out and crawl on the outside of my clay pots. After a year of trying to figure out what they are and finding that they don't hurt the plant(besides being disgusting) I figured out they are some sort of bug that feeds on decomposing plant material and it is usually a sign that the medium needs to be changed. They seem to only like the plants that need repotting and go away after I repot. I don't know if that is what you have but I thought I would tell you about my yucky bugs that seem to be a lot like yours. I'm going to write down that recipe too! Good luck!

After talking to the members of the Swedish orchid forum, I've realized that it's probably just as you said. If it were spider mites, I should have noticed some damage or any "normal" sign of their presence, which I haven't. My P. schill does not have any damages on the leaves that could be caused by mites and it's one happy, healthy chid. A friend of mine told me there are mites that live in the medium, but that are harmless to the plant itself - we probably have the same thing.

The strange thing though, is that this guy was re-potted not that long ago, a month and a half, so in my case I doubt it's because the medium is too old...

[Wynn Dee13]

Originally Posted by The Mutant

Thank you very much guys! I knew I could count on you.


Aha, I didn't know, thank you for the correction Tony. All I remember was that he (Bud) wrote somewhere that he used it and that it was very efficient.


After talking to the members of the Swedish orchid forum, I've realized that it's probably just as you said. If it were spider mites, I should have noticed some damage or any "normal" sign of their presence, which I haven't. My P. schill does not have any damages on the leaves that could be caused by mites and it's one happy, healthy chid. A friend of mine told me there are mites that live in the medium, but that are harmless to the plant itself - we probably have the same thing.

The strange thing though, is that this guy was re-potted not that long ago, a month and a half, so in my case I doubt it's because the medium is too old...

Yeah I thought they were a type of mite that was bad for the plants at first too. Even though they don't hurt the plant they are still disgusting! They are not something you want living with you in your house! I also have noticed a few in my newly transplanted plants but I thought maybe they came from another plant or maybe they are feeding on some dead plant matter like roots or something. I'm not sure but I do notice there are not nearly as many after I repot. I also found they are not as bad during the summer but I also put most of my plants outside then. If you find a way to get rid of them please let me know! They creep me out! After I see them crawling all over the outside of the pot I feel like they are on me! I love drowning the buggers and washing them off the pot when I find them crawling around. Good luck with getting rid of yours!

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by Wynn Dee13

Yeah I thought they were a type of mite that was bad for the plants at first too. Even though they don't hurt the plant they are still disgusting! They are not something you want living with you in your house! I also have noticed a few in my newly transplanted plants but I thought maybe they came from another plant or maybe they are feeding on some dead plant matter like roots or something. I'm not sure but I do notice there are not nearly as many after I repot. I also found they are not as bad during the summer but I also put most of my plants outside then. If you find a way to get rid of them please let me know! They creep me out! After I see them crawling all over the outside of the pot I feel like they are on me! I love drowning the buggers and washing them off the pot when I find them crawling around. Good luck with getting rid of yours!

YES they are disgusting, but I'm glad they're not bad for the plants. When I discovered them yesterday I really felt like jumping up on a chair and just scream my head off, that's how gross they are.


I got immediate satisfaction when I put some dish soap in the water I had dipped the schill in (and which was full of these buggers) and watched them drown...

If I get rid of them, I'll let you know.

[Wynn Dee13]

Thanks! I would love to know how to get rid of them! I have been growing orchids for 11 years and last year at about this same time was the first time I ever had a problem with them.