Eradicate scale insects!

[MrHungx]

I entrusted my mom to take care of my orchid collection while I'm away at college. I came home last week to a large scale infestation, though I can't blame her since she's very busy. Anyway, I have had intermittent scale outbreaks in the past and I would just use rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab to remedy the problem. The scale outbreak this time was so bad that a whole pseudobulb was covered in white fuzz. I can't afford to cut off this particular pseudobulb since it's the lead growth. The scale problem apparently caused a new growth on the side of this pseudobulb to abort. The only dormant eye (that I can see, no pun intended) is on the other side of the lead pseudobulb.

My main question is:

Short of spraying the plant with a systemic, has anyone successfully eradicated scale using Orange Guard? I used a dilute concentration and sprayed the entire foliage as well as the medium (I repotted it but sprayed the new media as a precaution). I'm assuming the results should be similar to neem oil. I would prefer to not go out of my way to buy more chemicals. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[quiltergal]

The only reliable way of eradicating scale or any sucking insect is to hit it with a systemic insecticide. I use Bayer 3-1 Advanced. Alcohol, insecticidal soap, etc will only control the infestation, so you will never rid your plant of it entirely.

[Orchid Whisperer]

IMO to get rid of scale, you really need a systemic. Try Bayer Advanced Rose & Flower (Lowes or Home Depot will have it).

[dounoharm]

if you have had 'intermittent scale infestations' in the past, then you have never really eliminated the problem....the orange guard will only kill what you see at the time, but not the ones in hiding nor the eggs and larvae....you had a bomb waiting to explode, and explode it did! get the systemic out and use it according to direction, every two weeks for several applications...alcohol will not kill all the boogers, actually NOTHING WILL EXCEPT SYSTEMICS! please treat every plant in the house, as doubtless if they are that bad, they have snuck into every bit of vegetation available....take them outside into the shade and spray away! you should probably repot the entire lot too, as they will have gotten into the media, unpot and scrub them with an insecticidal soap, then use the systemic....don't blame it on mama, she just watered....the problem was already there....waiting...good luck!

[silken]

I agree with the others, a systemic is the only real way to really get rid of them. Even using that, you may want to apply it again a few months after they 'appear' to be gone.