What kind of pest is this? - Orchid Board

new_orchid_rescuer · #1 09-30-2007, 04:28 PM

Hello, I just bought a Miltonia and it has some sort of mites. Does anyone recognize these or know how hard they are to get rid of?
Thanks!

philoserenus · #2 09-30-2007, 05:17 PM

looks more like a tick to me than a mite

korxi · #3 09-30-2007, 05:29 PM

I have the exact same mites on my plants I think - about 1 mm long? - they are only on the medium, and not in on the leaves or pb's.
I spoke to a pro grower here in Denmark and he told me - as long as nothing is on the leaves and no signs of damage are visible you shouldn't worry. Otherwise some insect spray should do the trick..

Christian

Shirley · #4 09-30-2007, 06:42 PM

It's very hard to judge the actual size of these from the photos but I'm assuming they are greatly enlarged. They appear to me to be red spider mites, which just happen to love the thin miltonia leaves, especially in hot, dry weather. Interesting that they would just in the medium and not on the leaves. I would take a damp cotton ball and wipe the underside of some of the leaves. If mites are there they will make a rusty red on the cotton. I suggest that you get a miticide from your local garden shop and spray the leaves. You will have to repeat the treatment a few times to be sure they're gone.

Good luck!

Shirley

new_orchid_rescuer · #5 09-30-2007, 07:04 PM

So I tried wiping the bottom of the leaves, but nothing came off.

korxi, mine sound like the same thing! They are about 1 mm long and they only seem to be in the sphag. There doesn't seem to be any damage to the leaves or psudobulbs.

I was going to hold off on repoting it since it's in bloom, but when I noticed these bugs I started to reconsider. They're pretty gross and there are alot of them!

gmdiaz · #6 09-30-2007, 07:05 PM

I could not stand being in the same house with anything that even LOOKS like a tick.

Just so you know. . .lol

new_orchid_rescuer · #7 09-30-2007, 11:08 PM

LOL! I feel the same way! I would like to repot to get rid of them (or at least most of them) but it's flowering.... But I'm afraid to have it too close to my other 'chids. But I have some others in 'quarantine' too, so right now I have this one on the stairs... not exaclty a good solution as it could still flower for a while!

Lagoon · #8 10-01-2007, 12:12 AM

They look like soil mites. If you have that many they could be, mighty mites

Anyways, I hate them!

Try some dish soap mix with water 1/2 teaspoon to 1 ltr of water - It could take a few sprays but you should be able to knock down those freeloaders.

Best of luck!

korxi · #9 10-01-2007, 08:36 AM

I think the very distinct difference between spider mites and these are that you can hardly see the spider mites! They look like brick dust on the back of the leaves - these are big and even the legs are visible.

I read another place that the dangerous kinds of mites as a rule are stationary or moving VERY slowly, whereas the good kinds (soil mites or praying mites) are quick.

Christian

Dorothy · #10 10-01-2007, 10:34 AM

With a proboscis like that - it looks like a weevil