Blooming Phal with mealy bugs!!
 

Hi Everyone. I'm new to orchids and I have a mealy problem on a currently blooming phal noid. I picked off 8 adults this morning but saw hundreds of "crawlers" running around disturbed. I have found most of them hiding in the white flowers (the color makes it particularly difficult...but anyways..), however there was one I found in the crown. I have also found some of that sticky honeydew stuff on the leaves.
I've only had this plant since Feb. 11 and found the first mealy bug a day or two later. And then haven't seen a sign of any more until now.
I'm thinking of spraying it down with alcohol and then possibly re-potting it next week as soon as I can get a new pot for it. I'm a bit apprehensive, as it is in flower right now (the last bud flowered last night), and I'm worried it might drop them, but I'm also worried about mealies hiding out in the roots and moss it's planted in. And I'm thinking that thoroughness is probably best for the life/health of the plant in the long run.
I also don't know if I should try using any insecticide or anything... I have some isotox...but I don't know if that is too strong of a chemical or what.
I'd love any and all advice. :help :feedback:

Try liquid soap diluted with some water and spray everything. The problem with mealy is that it is hard to saturate the nest to get all the juveniles. Also a Q-tip and soapy water works for some "spot" cleaning. The flowers may get brown spots on them but that won't kill the plant. You should use some sort of systemic also to get what is in the media. You will have to respray/retreat weekly for about 3 weeks. Oh, I'm sure you already know this but you MUST isolate this plant far from ANY others!!!!!! The other thing about alcohol is that it is very dehydrating and can cause damage to the flowers and leaves.

I haven`t tried this yet but I read another site that everyone who has tried this (like over 20people) love it and swear it kills bugs and they say u can soak the pot in it

Kills Bugs and Fungus
10 drops dishsoap
1.8 ml cinnamon extract (about 1/2 tsp.)
2 cups tepid water

and that u can spray the plant with it too.

Mealy
 

At our society meeting last month I learned of a product called "Safari". It is apparently a non-toxic "growth inhibitor" that works really good for mealy bug. I only had to do 2 applications (for in house plants)and no more mealy. I got some from a guy who owns a greenhouse, cause I heard it's expensive. Maybe you can ask around and someone might have a little to sell you.

Here is a link for the Safari product: http://www.valent.com/Data/Labels/20...m%201521-B.pdf One of the disclaimers is "Not for in home use." It appears it also comes in a granular form: http://www.valent.com/Data/Labels/20...m%201671-A.pdf

A drench and spray with an imidacloprid based systemic will usually do the trick. With so many mealies the blooms will probably be short lived. Once mealies get up inside the column the bloom wilts shortly after.
Mealies are easy to spread, so keep that plant isolated, and always take care of it after taking care of any other plants you may have

Safari
 

Bikerdoc,

Thanks much for the info - I didn't see the packaging and basically took the word of the folks who sold me a small amount that it was "safe" for in-home. Much appreciate the heads-up. Man, I love this board and the knowledge base. Jeff

Thanks guys for your input. I looked up the Safari stuff and that is crazily expensive. I don't really know any orchid people in this area, so I wouldn't know who to get a little bit of it from either. So it's kind of out of the question at the moment.

I did spray it down with some rubbing alcohol, and it was already isolated away from the others to begin with. However, since I think I bought it infected, I checked the other two phals and found two small mealy bugs (not quite adult) on one of them. So I isolated it, and sprayed it down too. I've been doing a little research on the Ortho isotox (which is a systemic), apparently it's gone through a name change, but I read somewhere about using it at half strength on orchids...which kind of makes sense to me. What do you guys think?

I also found something on the net that suggested a granular systemic to put on top of the potting media to kill the ones in the roots. Does anyone know anything about this? A good product? I would much rather not have to re-pot until after the flowers are gone.

for mealie bugs you just about have to use a systemic...and i would take all of em outside and spray the dickens out of em every week for 3 weeks then once a month therafter....alcohol is a quick kill but you cant get all the juvies....and you must get them all or you develop an ongoing problem that will have you pulling your hair out....so go with a good systemic for home use....go to a good garden center and pay the price and do it....gl

Camille mentioned imidacloprid based systemic. This is the active ingredient in many of the Bayer products available at any of the Big Box stores and garden centers or Walmart/Target. It comes as a ready to use spray, concentrate to mix and use in your own sprayer and granular. the granular form would be sold as something to be used to kill "grubs" in your lawn but it is the same thing. This is the form I use at the end of summer before I bring everything back into the greenhouse. Sometimes it is called "Merit". The other systemic that is very available is Ortho Orthenex (Acephate). With any of these, I'd spray outside or in a garage to prevent contaminating household (living) areas.