Mealybug control
 

An orchid grower shipped me some catts that had mealybugs, and they're spreading to my other catts despite isolation. :(( I've removed all visible mealies with cotton swabs and alcohol, and sprayed with Bayers Advanced. Yet they keep coming back!

Now I'm suspecting that they are hiding underneath the surface, among the roots and the bark. I need something I can drench the bark/roots with, of course, without hurting the roots. What do you recommend for drenching the pots? I know, the other option is to repot...but it's already almost autumn and I don't want to disturb the roots now because they're stuck fast to the pot.

repot and use a systemic spray every 3 weeks till eradicated.....

Please can you recommend a systemic which is available in the USA for mealies?

I also would like to know what you use. I don't have mealies but I do have scale. Does the systemic work for scale too? I would think it does since mealies are related to scales. Also if you use a systemic is it really necessary to repot? I have some that need to be repotted so that is fine but I have a few that were just repotted earlier this year and are now just getting established. I don't want to disturb them again. Especially since many Catts should be repotted when new roots appear. Thanks!

I went ahead and unpotted my most severely affected catts. Dave, good question, I was wondering that too. Wynn, I was feeling the same way--my catts were root rotted earlier this spring and they finally were getting established. I tried to be very careful when I unpotted them, and fortunately I noticed some of the roots still had active growing tips. I washed the leaves and bulbs with soap and water, scrubbing every nook and cranny and spraying with a strong jet of water. Then I potted the plants with fresh bark and sprayed with Bayers.

I wonder if it is OK to get the insecticide on the roots?

Imidacloprid-based systemic insecticide should work for scales and mealybugs. There are many products: Merit, Bonide indoor systemic insecticide etc. You can go to a home center or garden center and look at the active ingredients, you can find one.

fortunately Ive only got a mealy invasion from one vendor and I never did business with them again. :hello

Just a suggestion is to ask what they use for pest control for their plants on the website or in an email if they arent forthcoming with the info online readily.

Whatever they use switch it up. You have to rotate these pest chemicals or you will make them immune to the treatment and it wont do you any good.

Safari seems to be a common choice for wholesale growers but for us hobby growers using Safari can be very expensive.

But indeed Bonide makes some good systemics and if its good for roses its good for orchids.

When you get your infestation under control try some beneficial insects and keep the pesticides down to a minimum use.

But to be honest with you if a vendor sent me plants with mealies he would have gotten the plants right back wrapped up and choked off in a plastic bio hazard bag . I wouldnt have bothered with a quarantine. I know they are hard to see but if you got a few hundred mealies hes got millions.

Sometimes they appreciate a heads up email you sent me mealies and sometimes they dont.

Bottom line for me is I order/buy from the same good people and dont venture out too much looking for that one off plant anymore.

But good luck to you and smach them mealies with a hammer and they dont come back :biggrin: