Discovered boisduval scale the hard way

[Skycat]

Checked on this one Cattleya that's been neglected (and conveniently already somewhat isolated) all winter. Good news: whole cluster of baby roots



Bad news: clusters of other things as well. Specifically, what appeared to be scale and unusually tiny mealybugs. Scrubbed them off with alcohol q-tips. Went to my "Orchid Pests and Diseases" book, found out these two seemingly different types of bugs are the same species.

I'd gotten most of the visible ones off before taking this picture, but you can still see what appears to be some of the boys, on a leaf which already has a bunch of old scale damage that in retrospect I really should've taken more seriously when I noticed it during the summer.

[Ray]

Boisduval scale can be particularly difficult to eradicate.

I got an infestation once, and tried a few "spot treatments", but was only able to completely eradicate it by treating with a mix of acephate (a translaminar insecticide), imidacloprid (root-absorbed, systemic insecticide), and kinoprene-s (insect growth regulator).

Yes, three times at one-week intervals.

No, no plants were harmed by the mixture, as each one was at the proper concentration in the blend.

[estación seca]

Scale is particularly bad in cool winters. The plants are already stressed by low temperatures. The bugs make holes through which pathogens can enter. It's very important to get rid of it.