Bugs! - Orchid Board

Becca · #1 11-12-2007, 04:22 PM

This weekend while watering, I discovered some weird looking bugs on two of my 'chids I just recently got from Andy's Orchids. I have never seen them before and the plants are mounted on wood sticks so I am wondering if this has something to do with attracting them. The bugs are two small for me to take pictures of, but on one plant I found these little black round looking dots, almost like a microscopic beetle. And on another I found some small little redish brown creature, almost like a spider but a longer body and much smaller, I wish I could take pictures of them. Anyways....the more I soak the mounts, the more I have noticed them....so I sprayed them with a solution of neem oil hoping this will do the trick. I will continue to spray them so I can kill anything that is not hatched out yet. Has anyone else experienced anything like what I have described?

Dorothy · #2 11-12-2007, 04:50 PM

Take a look at this site - Insect and Arthropod Pest Identi
It has photos of each pest.

Does this look like what you have seen? - MITES

Ross · #3 11-12-2007, 05:00 PM

Becca, I have had two things come from Andy - fungus gnats (which are like fruit flies flying in the tank, but the damage is done by a black-headed teeny worm - 1/32nd inch or so) and something Harry called algae mites. These are more like you describe - they are very fast, don't fly and brownish red. Not very big. Not sure on the "beetle-like" things. Better call Harry or Andy. Still have time tonight. Neem oil won't hurt, but won't get the fungus gnats. I used the yellow sticky cards I suggested a while back as well as Schultz garden safe spray which uses canola oil and pyrethrens. I've never found the culprits on the web - not under algae mites, not at Dot's suggested web sites, not anywhere. But they're gone.

Ross · #4 11-12-2007, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPfeiffer

This weekend while watering, I discovered some weird looking bugs on two of my 'chids I just recently got from Andy's Orchids. I have never seen them before and the plants are mounted on wood sticks so I am wondering if this has something to do with attracting them. The bugs are two small for me to take pictures of, but on one plant I found these little black round looking dots, almost like a microscopic beetle. And on another I found some small little redish brown creature, almost like a spider but a longer body and much smaller, I wish I could take pictures of them. Anyways....the more I soak the mounts, the more I have noticed them....so I sprayed them with a solution of neem oil hoping this will do the trick. I will continue to spray them so I can kill anything that is not hatched out yet. Has anyone else experienced anything like what I have described?

Be careful about over spraying! I think I caused bud deformities on my Haraella by spraying every other day with Schultz Garden Safe. Neem would be same way. Weekly does just fine.

Becca · #5 11-12-2007, 05:24 PM

D, I have seen pictures of the mites, the body shape reminds me of the reddish brown bugs, but not fully. They aren't very fast crawling either. I haven't seen any since watering yesterday, and I watered the mounts again today. I will take your advice Ross and only spray once a week. If I see the little buggers again, I'll give Harry a call for sure!

Ross · #6 11-12-2007, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPfeiffer

D, I have seen pictures of the mites, the body shape reminds me of the reddish brown bugs, but not fully. They aren't very fast crawling either. I haven't seen any since watering yesterday, and I watered the mounts again today. I will take your advice Ross and only spray once a week. If I see the little buggers again, I'll give Harry a call for sure!

Becca, be REAL sure you get total contact of both the mount and the leaves, etc. with Neem. It's very important to not try to keep the mixed solution over. Just dump it. It doesn't keep. Also, be very careful to adequately mix the Neem and Soap mix as per intructions. I think you can go heavy on Neem, if you're unsure, with no damage to plants, as the stuff works by keeping critters away from the plants. Not sure it actually kills anything though.

Becca · #7 11-12-2007, 05:52 PM

I mixed it t tablespoons per gallon as per the directions and then I made sure I sprayed every part of the plant and the stick mounts and also I made sure I sprayed any cracks in the wood as well. The directions did say it wouldn't keep over 48 hours so I will be sure to toss it when I am finished with it. I'll keep you posted if the little bugs come back again!

Ross · #8 11-12-2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPfeiffer

I mixed it t tablespoons per gallon as per the directions and then I made sure I sprayed every part of the plant and the stick mounts and also I made sure I sprayed any cracks in the wood as well. The directions did say it wouldn't keep over 48 hours so I will be sure to toss it when I am finished with it. I'll keep you posted if the little bugs come back again!

Trust me! Spray once again 1 week after the first spray.

Dorothy · #9 11-12-2007, 08:25 PM

Trust me!?
Famous last words!

Ross · #10 11-12-2007, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dorothy

Trust me!?
Famous last words!

Seems to me some recent President said something like that about weapons of mass destruction!?