brown scale?

[Atzau]

found this little bugger on the Sherry baby my mom brought over a couple of days ago... pretty sure it looks like scale. I've removed the three I've found with alcohol on a q tip... and checked all the other orchids around it... nothing that i can see thank goodness.... and quarantined it... what do you guys think?

opps sorry, forgot to attach pic... it's in my following post in the quote...

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[Atzau]

Originally Posted by Atzau

found this little bugger on the Sherry baby my mom brought over a couple of days ago... pretty sure it looks like scale. I've removed the three I've found with alcohol on a q tip... and checked all the other orchids around it... nothing that i can see thank goodness.... and quarantined it... what do you guys think?

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[Atzau]

here's the bug after i removed it.... brown scale?

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[Nexogen]

Yes its scale, you can take a water bottle sprayer and mix 1 part Castile Liquid Soap-Baby Mild Dr. Bronner’s liquid or insecticidal soap (from Walmart), 1 part rubbing alcohol to 10 parts water. Agitate the spray mixture thoroughly. Spray the plant until all leaves, crevasses and crotches are soaked. After an hour or so, once the spray mixture has dried, take a dampened cloth with rubbing alcohol and wipe off the dead scale.
When sprayed on insects, insecticidal soap breaks down the insect’s protective coating, and causes it to dehydrate and die.
Keep a close eye on your plants and it'll pay off.
You can reapply your insecticidal soap weekly until problem is under control.

[Connie M]

Do you find this in the garden section?

[Atzau]

i was only able to find three of these guys last night. don't see any more of them. I'm brunching it back to my mom (as a quarantine... she doesn't have any orchids at her place... they are all here! ) to take care of it.... i'll have her keep an eye out for any more scale. how long should it be visually scale free before it can come out of quarantine?

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[Dave S.]

I bet there are more.

You need to wait weeks in my opinion as it spreads easily to other plants. Brown scale will also attacks roots. I will mention that a systemic insecticide is best in my opinion.

You should worry about the life cycle from eggs to adults.

Also, I have had luck with spraying neem oil/soap and alternating with a rubbing alcohol spray.

I have often discarded a plant with brown scale, rather than risk it spreading to my other plants. This insect pest has been my nemesis for many years; wiping out many of my past plants.

[Atzau]

no Connie, my mom bought it from a neighbor who was supposed to be am orchid expert. maybe she had an infestation before selling to my mom...

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[Connie M]

Ok. Thanks! I have used tobacco tea in the past but you have to keep it up for a while and I forget!