Found pests for sure this time! q

[leslieann79]

Ok today I was watering my orchids and I saw a bunch of fast moving little bugs on my orchid. They looked black or silver. I only found them on one plant. Then on another plant there were little flying bugs.

So what I did is took the two plants out of their pots and rinsed them in soap and repotted them in new media and clean new pots.

My next step is to buy neem oil and insecticidal soap. Which do yall think would be best to use? I Didnt see any bugs on my other orchids. Is it safe to assume they have it and treat them too? Or is it best to wait for evidence of pests? TIA

[WhiteRabbit]

Sounds like they could be springtails and gnats.

[leslieann79]

Thanks WhiteRabbit. I believe you are right. Since you have given a name to the bugs I can now figure out how to treat them. Thanks.

[MrHappyRotter]

If they are springtails and gnats, they aren't harming your orchids and you're fighting a losing battle. Pretty much no matter what you treat with, the creatures can and eventually may come back. That is unless you're going with the nuclear option (i.e. non-natural pesticides) on a regular basis.

Not only that, unless your plants were in need of repotting, you probably stressed them more by repotting than the springtails and gnats ever could. Obviously, if the plants did need to be repotted anyway, then it's good you did that, but don't think it's a good idea to repot every time you see a springtail or gnat.

Most likely, you're going to have to live with sharing your orchids with a few creatures. The important thing is to learn to identify the bad ones, whiteflies, mealie bugs, scale, aphids, thrips, snails, slugs, spider mites and things of that nature. That way when you spot them, you can treat appropriately. On the flip side, you'll want to get familiar with the the critters of little concern, like the springtails, gnats, pill bugs, ladybugs, and things like those.

My philosophy is this (and you don't have to live by it by any means) ... if it's not harming my orchids, I leave it alone. Even things like Neem and insecticidal soaps are reserved for when they're needed. If the relatively benign critters start getting out of hand, I just flush the pots for a bit to wash them out.

[HighSeas]

I live in Florida where it gets quite hot and humid...and where we grow all kinds of creatures that lurk about here and there.

Spider mites are a big deal here and they're everywhere! They infect plants with fungus issues, viruses and leave behind obvious signs of foliar damage. We are also prone to more scale and mealy's. Let's not forget the ants. Florida IS after all, nothing more than a big ant condominium. So....

I use a systemic AND I have a routine especially during the summer months. I use Neem Oil and spray down the whole orchid house about once every two months. I also spray with Physan 20 and that includes the benches. I use diatomaceous earth around the parameter which works well with ants, cockroaches and the like. I find that 7 dust sprinkled on top of the media and slightly watered in works well too. If you stay on top of the buglets, you'll find that they are of little problem. If you allow it to get out of control, you'll have a disaster on your hands.

[cbuchman]

Here is a link to some useful inforamtion on orchid pests and remedies

http://www.vaos.org/vaosblog/wp-cont...SueBottom1.pdf

[PaphLover]

I have the same thing and it's beginning to freak me out. I took some photos. Hoping you can see them. They do move very fast and erratically. Are they truly not harmful? If it's a fungus gnat, I read somewhere that their larvae feed on roots.

Would spraying with rubbing alcohol work to remove them?

[PaphLover]

Found this on the web and was curious about Orchid Experts' opinions for same use with orchids:

by Xeger

Summary: A subtly dangerous pest that can attack your plants, causing serious, permanent damage with few external symptoms!
Scientific name: Bradysia coprophila (family Sciaridae, order Diptera)
Size: 3-4mm (1/8")

Description: Slender, grey or black body; one pair of clear, unveined wings. Long legs and a tendency to fly aimlessly around, alighting occasionally on the leaves of plants.


Like many insects, fungus gnats develop through metamorphosis. They start out as larvae in the top layers of soil, develop into pupae and thence into the winged, flying adult. Total developmental time to adulthood is 2-4 weeks. During the larval stage they feed on fungi in the soil as well as decaying organic matter and plant roots. Once they reach adulthood, fungus gnats typically last just long enough to seed a new generation of larvae.

Why should I care?

These little suckers are not your friends. If you grow houseplants or any kind of potted plant, fungus gnats can become a major problem very quickly. This is because the larvae, when they run out of fungus in the soil, will start to nibble at your plants' roots! While it would take a very large developing population of gnat larvae to completely destroy a plant in this way, the gnats' feasting can seriously stunt your plant's growth, causing discoloration in the foliage and malformed branches and limbs. The larvae may also aid in the spread of plant diseases with scary-sounding names, such as: Pythium, Verticillium, Cylindrocladium, and Scelerotinia.

Fungus gnats are particularly troublesome because the larvae prefer an organic growth medium. They can actually cause more harm to potted plants grown in sterilized potting soil than to plants grown in the ground! They also thrive in moist environments, meaning that overwatered houseplants are a prime breeding ground.

Marijuana cultivators particularly need to be on the lookout for fungus gnats, as the larvae, in addition to attacking the roots of your precious ganja plants, will leave behind casings that quickly ruin the drainage properties of your soil. Cannabis requires good drainage and a steady but small supply of water, so an overwatered marijuana plant that falls victim to a fungus gnat colony has two strikes against it. If an infestation occurs during the flowering stage of the plant's growth, it could seriously reduce yield.

How do I detect them?

Like most tiny flying critters, fungus gnats have an irrational attraction to the color yellow. Purchase some yellow sticky cards from a garden center; yellow sticky tape works equally well. Place the sticky cards near your plants for a few days and observe what gets caught on it. If you see more than a few gnats, there are most likely larvae in your soil.

Once you've spotted a likely infestation, cut a slice of potato of about one square inch, and 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Place it on the soil in your plant's pot and wait 4-8 hours. Fungus gnat larvae really love a good snack of potato. Remove the potato and count the number of larvae that have moved onto it; this will give you a good idea of how big an infestation you're dealing with.

How do I get rid of them?

Getting rid of the adults is a snap: simply give them a sticky yellow surface to land on, and within a few days you'll have enough dead adults to make a tasty dinner of gnat casserole (YMMV). The larvae are a bit trickier. The first step toward getting rid of them is to starve your plant of water for a few days, letting the top layers of soil dry completely. Larvae cannot develop in dry soil, though they can survive a drought by suspending their development. Don't worry about killing your plant; it takes serious dedication to kill most houseplants from underwatering, while overwatering a plant can kill it very quickly.

Once the soil is dry, mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution with 4 parts water. Use 3% solution, which you can find in any drug store or in the hygiene/medicine aisle of a chain grocery store. You can use a stronger solution if you change the water mixture appropriately, and don't be too concerned with proportions; it would take a very high concentration of H2O2 to hurt your plants. Just make sure you buy pure H2O2 with no chemical additives! Hydrogen peroxide is often sold as a topical disinfectant, and things that are good for your wounds may not be so healthy for your plants.

Water your plants as you normally would, using the hydrogen peroxide solution and taking care to get good coverage of the entire top layer of soil. Use a spray bottle if desired. The soil will fizz for a few minutes after application; this is natural. The gnat larvae die on contact with the H2O2. After a few minutes the fizzing stops and the H2O2 breaks down into oxygen molecules (which your plants don't mind) and water molecules (which your plants love).

Congratulations! You've just successfully treated your fungus gnat infestation. Monitor the gnat population for a few days with sticky cards, in order to make sure you've got them all. Make sure not to overwater, and consider sometimes adding a little hydrogen peroxide to your daily waterings--in my experience, the plants react well to this little treat. Watch your plants grow big and strong and enjoy the fruits of your labors, whether they be flowers, vegetables, literal fruits, or big sticky nugs of homegrown chronic.