The Great Mealy Bug War of '07-'08

[Tindomul]

In the last year and a half I've been fighting Mealy Bug scale all over. Home, office etc......
Some battles have been lost, and some have been won (that is nothing died). And I thought Mites were bad.

Ok,
The first battle was the battle of the Orchidarium, what a Nightmare!! Can't use insecticides for frog safety issues, and could not remove some of the plants because they had grown into the background attached themselves to the orchidarium its self.
The first casualty was a Tolumnia noid. Most likely the plant that introduced the enemy.
As time went by, and my vigilance waned, matters got secretly worse. Suddenly I would see swarms of male mealy bugs flying inside the viv. I can tell you though that they are really easy to kill with your fingers. Slow flyers and not good at evading you. One cutting of my Slc. Mini Beau was attacked and killed. Then my Schoenorchis fragrans was the next casualty. Finally the second cutting of Slc. Mini Beau was killed. That was last years winner for the Orchid Board Calendar contest. Gone, forever! Three Haraella odorata also fell in this battle. They were too defenseless to stand a chance!!!
The Mealybug had setup base on my Angreaceum scottianum, Orchid Board Chat Project plant. I managed to kill them off there though. The plant is still healthy and scale free.
Then at home I lost Blc. Nippon Flag 'Nice Day' and two others were saved by application of neem oil and soap water. They are doing well for now.
Today, the battle now rages within the leaves of three full grown Clivias, and my Starfish Cactus that bloomed this last fall. Im not sure who will survive. These I can spray till the spray breaks. Hope it pays off.


Sorry guys, just wanted to destress and let it all out.