Springtails
 

Ok, i was watering my onc sweet suger and noticed little silver bugs running for cover up my plant, ive heard that if they jump or seem to dissapear if you disturb them, they are probibly springtails, well, i touched a few with a knife and wammo, they magically jump away and vanish! how do i get rid of these pets?

Keep the medium a bit drier and they'll vanish. I think that if you let the medium go (almost) dry for once the problems is solved. Also watch for water in a cache pot, springtails like it there too. Clean that pot too (from the inside).
The fact that you have springtails in the pot from your oncidium might be overall you keep the medium too wet.

Nicole

YEah i got the orchid from a vendor who was trying a new method sorta like S/H but different... so i just completely re-potted and dunked it in vinegar and rinsed it off good, repoted in new pot it'll probably be fine now

Hi. I think I have springtails, too. I have a few pots with thousands (it seems) tiny whitish-grey bugs. I've done some research on the internet and it says that they are not harmful and are attracted to humid places. That pretty much describes my bedroom where I grow my orchids. I think I am going to let the plants dry out a bit. I have been having an issue with me over-watering my orchids - especially my phals. I 've got some pretty serious root rot on some. Fungus gnats have also been an issue recently, but their population has seemed to subside. Does anyone know where I can buy the yellow "sticky cards"? I'd like to get some to catch the rest of the fungus gnats.

John

Most nursery's or garden centers in the big box stores carry them.

Sheridan

IMHO, but if you change your watering habbits you don't need those sticky cards. Be also aware of water standing in humidity trays, bugs love them too. You might want to refresh that water more often.

Nicole

You mean Springtails :scratchhead:

:biggrin:

I don't know about big box stores carrying springtails--but you never know what you get at one of those places :rofl: All kidding aside, it is a good idea to frequently change the water in the huimidity trays. I have seen springtails and even fungus gnat larvae hanging out there. So make sure the humidity trays, any saucers you may have under your pots, or cache pots you may have are frequently cleaned to get the little buggers :evil:

I think that the springtails and the fungus gnats may have come from a bigbox store, at that! I know they didn't just spring from spontaneous generation. It is annoying how many bugs I carry into my house on plants from stores or even directly from commercial growers. As for the water in the trays, I siphon out the water every two weeks or so. I will let the trays really dry out every once in a while to be sure to kill any eggs/larvae/nymphs that may be hanging around.

I watered on of my phals the other day and a centipede ran up the stem! I have pretty much ID'ed it as a stone centipede. They are basically harmless - BUT they eat springtails! So, bring on the centipedes!