Insects/ ?? on my orchids

[Terpi]

I have been having a problem with I believe are mealy bugs on my orchids. Can anyone tell me how to deal with it?
I've been using soapy water, alcohol, etc., but they keep coming back.

I'm going to try Bug B Gone, an inseciticde soap. Hope it works.

See the pictures attached.

[RandomGemini]

Definitely looks like mealybugs to me.

Soapy water and alcohol will help control adult bugs, but it will not kill the eggs.

I applied a dose of Bayer Rose and Flower every two weeks for six weeks and have not seen a mealybug since. You will need to isolate the infested plants from the rest of your collection or they will all become infested.

Good luck!

[Leafmite]

Good luck! If you have any plants that are sensitive to pesticides, you can spray isopropyl alcohol instead (but this must be done a few times a week for a few weeks) (except not on Carnivorous plants--they don't like the alcohol, either) .

[kindrag23]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Good luck! If you have any plants that are sensitive to pesticides, you can spray isopropyl alcohol instead (but this must be done a few times a week for a few weeks) (except not on Carnivorous plants--they don't like the alcohol, either) .

Carnivorous plants don't like NOTHING!

---------- Post added at 03:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:15 PM ----------

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

Definitely looks like mealybugs to me.

Soapy water and alcohol will help control adult bugs, but it will not kill the eggs.

I applied a dose of Bayer Rose and Flower every two weeks for six weeks and have not seen a mealybug since. You will need to isolate the infested plants from the rest of your collection or they will all become infested.

Good luck!

This stuff works well too, or if that is not available Bayer with Neem oil I think works on mealy bugs. It just Smells Horrid. But it works.

[Leafmite]

'Carnivorous plants don't like NOTHING!'
Nothing...but bugs!

[RosieC]

As has been said you can pick off the adults with a cotten bud soaked in isopropal/rubbing alcohol.

I was successful getting rid of them completely but doing this and dabbing every sign of the white 'fluff' I could see. Then checking the plant every single day for sign of new ones from hatching eggs. About 2 weeks later I spotted signs of the 'fluff' again but any bugs were so tiny I couldn't make them out. I dabbed all the 'fluff' with alcohol again, then kept watching every day again... but they never came back (now a couple of years later).

I think that by watching closely and dabbing the re-appearing 'fluff' I caught the second batch before they could lay eggs, so that got rid of them completely.