Not an Orchid-but can anyone help?
 

One of my Bromiliads is covered in this.The black spots are raised and the size of a period at the end of a sentence.They do not move.I have looked thru my plant books and on the net but can't identify it.It looks like spider poop to me, but I am a plant novice.This is the only plant that is affected by this.I don't know if it is new,or has been there for years.

Could it be scale? do they come off when you pick them?

Yes,I can remove them with my fingernail.From what I read about scale,the scale spots are larger and they move.Mine are tiny and don't move.I put some on a piece of white paper and looked at them with a magnifying glass-I don't see any appendages.

well I have this on my plants... and I'm pretty sure its scale. Scale doesn't move.

Whatever it is, pic them off ( using a wet cloth to wipe the surface), I use mild dishliquid on the leaves. They will come up again, one here and there, but just pick it off. Thats what I have to do, and they are under control :)

good luck :)

This plant has about a hundred leaves,each about 18" long.The edges are like razor blades.I guess I'll just leave it.Will it spread to my other plants and orchids?

Hello Rothie, I'm in Florida too. I have never seen that either. It does look like poop but if so the plant would be devoured by now. So treat it like scale to be on the safe side to keep it from spreading to other plants. I would just use the Orthene spray. Good luck.

:yikes: If it's scale .. it will spread alright! Keep it isolated from all your other orchids!

Looks like a type of scale insect. Wow! I've never seen scale insects attack a Bromeliad before. Usually it's slugs that love 'em.

Use soap and water to wipe off the surface. There are also commercial insecticides for them.

How do you grow your Bromeliad? They like lots of air circulation. I've never succeeded in growing Bromeliads indoors in the long run. Outdoors they just grow.

I love Tillandsias. I was addicted to collecting those a long time ago. I grow a few now. That's part of the reason of how I got into orchid growing.

You shouldn't have too much of a problem growing them since you're in Florida. I saw tons of them growing all over the place when I was on the islands of St. Vincent, Dominica, and the Bahamas.

They were literally covering the trees they were on. They're "weeds" where you guys are.

Thanks for all the replies.For some reason I'm not getting my email notifications.I've been in FL for almost 40 years,and I've never seen these growing anywhere.We do have some air plants left,but mostly in dense forest areas.I looked at some pics from a couple of years back,and the spots were there then,but not as dense.It seems strange that I don't find the spots on any of my other plants,but I'll call that a blessing.Here is a pic of the bloom from this bromiliad.It really is breathtaking.

Hopefully this will help. Take a stroll to the bottom of the page, click the hyperlink, see if it's not something of the nature your speaking of...

Bromeliad Biota - Pests - Scale Insects

I just looked at the link
YUCK!! I had no idea that they are alive!?! I just pick off the occasional one, and its all crusty, and is filled with power... but I read that they molt their mouths and feet!!?? yuck!!

Interesting link though :)

If it's scale(and it seems to be), grab the big guns (Merit, Orthene, etc...) and take no prisoners.
A magnifier glass can help you to identify what you're dealing with.
If in doubt shoot first, ask later.

It is a bit on the gross side, but scale is like rust never sleeps....Pippin your to funny and oh so right.

Cheryl-
Thanks so much for the link.I have narrowed it down to 2 types,and I'm 80% sure of the first one.The treatment is the same for both.I'm going to have to quarrantine this plant out in the yard somewhere by itself till it's healthy again.
Thanks again,
Sue

:) That's a really pretty bloom Rothie. I have quite a few in my yard as landscaping but just the big, wide leaf ones with the one tall cone flower in reds or yellows. I love to look in them after a rain when they are full of water. Many times there are creatures like tree frogs in them enjoying a cool bath. I have a few of the skinny leaved ones with the big paddle type shoot with the little blue flowers. Those are nice, too. (I don't know the names of the bromiliads) But yours is very different and much prettier.

King, we have lots of what we call "wild pines" here. As in pineapple. That is what they look like. They like trees with rough bark like oaks. They really can take root and cover the branches. They can get big and have tall shooting bloom spikes but the flowers are not usually fantastic (as are orchids). These same trees are covered with resurrection ferns which can go from looking dead to like a lush carpet after one heavy rain storm. These are not the kinds of plants you find in newer residential neighborhoods. (though I have seen wild pines in the mahogany trees here) But in older areas like Coconut Grove, Coral Gables or in parks and hammocks scattered around the county you only have to look up to see an incredible amount of these plants and all kinds of creatures. To me they are awesome!

susiep-
I don't know where it originates from-other than my neighbors yard when I lived in Ft.Lauderdale.I have never seen anything like it.It's a shade lover and blooms in winter.I think it likes the cold-the blooms are really nice on cold days.I leave it outside even when it freezes at night for a few hours.It appears healthy even though its covered in scale.It's pretty indestructable-my kind of plant!

Hey, King, move to Florida and you'll see lots of scale...and not the weight kind! That looks like Florida Red Scale. Those little round guys are the adults and underneath are the pups. The adults stick and stay while at the right time the pups mature and migrate hense the other black dots on the leaves. You can use an oil base insecticide designed to be used on plants that will suffocate the little critters or go to a local HomeDepot or Lowes and ask them...thet're pretty good....sometimes

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EDISImagePa...195&tag=FIGURE 6&credits=

Thanks,Biker-
I started treating with Ortho Malathion Plus last week.I don't think the pups can be affected until they come out from under the adults.?Would Neem oil be a good treatment?

That's what I was thinking about...not sure if it will work, but you could ask someone at the store at which you purchase it

Rothie, I have never seen that kind of scale on my plants and I have lived in Miami-Ft Laud for a very long time. I am having a bit of a proliferation of regular scale (flat green) and mealy bugs right now because we are at a change in season and they have a chance to get established. I prefer regular Orthene in the spray can. Expensive, but no mixing, no mess. I always wear a bandana over my nose and mouth because it is aeorsolized. However!! be careful of oil based products down here! The sun is so intense right now. Just a little bit of direct sun (like 5 mins) and you will cook your plants that have any oil on them (I have seen it). You will cook those leaves like bacon in a frying pan! Just my :twocents:

Thanks for the heads up,Susie.
Kind of like using baby oil at the beach!

Ha, ha, BikerDoc. I don't need to move to FL to see our version of scale. :)

No doubt, King... I suspect that little critter is ubiquitous and gives all headaches from time to time!