Look what I found...snail on Vanda
 

while watering I found this tiny snail crawling on the Vanda packong's label. The plant was purchased in mid July and repotted into EpiWeb and PrimeAgra in late July. The previous medium was bark which was fair. The original pot was buried in the plastic basket in which I received the plant. There were a lot of little clover-like plants on the plant and copious amount of clover roots. I cleaned out as best I could. The plant is doing great. I even see a flower spike. Naturally I crushed the snail after taking its picture but I am at a loss how to treat the plant. My critter rule is if you see one expect many. Any suggestions. I am not above using chemicals.
Nick

is your vanda grown outside or inside? DO you have a pic of the whole plant? I don't feel snails fall into the same category as other critters as to if there is one there are many. During the peak of rain season which is dwindling down around here I see more but not that many snails right now at all.
I crush them when I see them. I also tried the salt experiment, and while very entertaining, I missed the sound effect of them crushing under my foot.
There is also the apple trick to attract them and then crush them. Beer...potato...snail bait....it goes on and on

it is grown inside now but I expect it came from a greenhouse. This one is very small, not more than 3 mm. Whatever I end up doing will be to the plant itself since it sits inside our home.
Nick

the first is a picture of the plant on arrival in July 2008. The second is a close up of the medium it is now in.
Nick

Try to leave apple or potato slices on top of the media and check them every morning, snails tend to get stuck on them and you can manually remove them afterward.

I hope this doesn't become an epidemic. best of luck!

I doubt seriously that there are many. In the greenhouse I use "Sluggo" It's thick, black goo, so takes just a little on top of the medium. However, seeing it's grown inside I would use the apple or potato!

Or super strong coffee, the dregs ,I tried it ,seemed to work it did not damage the plant also used the damp potato slices the snails go to it for moisture when the plant is dry , bush snails eat root tips :( Gin

Thanks Gin. I loooove my coffee, tho I don't mind giving the dregs to the snail. Good tip!

You are very welcome :) I saved the dregs then added a little instant to it if not strong enough .. It is supposed to affect the snails nervous system .
a caffeine high ? :rofl: gin

Looks like it could be a Bush Snail. I found one once on a Phal I bought at Trader Joe's and was so scared that they would multiply and invade my other plants that I tossed it. They are very tiny and eat orchid roots.

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/MP-1.pdf

servo,
thanks for the reference. I googled the snail and found an article in Annals of Applied Biology that showed 1 to 2 % caffeine solution completely toxic to all snails in their study. The plant used was orchid and no toxicity of the orchid found.
Nick

I just used snail bait on top of the sphagnum moss mine are in. While the bit seems to mold up and get fuzzy and colored, I just spray with fungicide and it kills the problem, but the natural stuff I got has iron in it and it doesn't hurt the plants. Those snails are awful though, and will devour anything they can put their sticky slimy foot on- I have even had them infest my orchids and clean out new healthy roots and even the small shoots coming off pseudobulbs- so kill them all and check the medium for more cuz in my experience, if the medium is moist they will multiply in it like crazy and take down a good sized plant in no time.