Bugs destroying Vanda’s flowers

[KikaMaggie]

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

Looks like you have thrips, sorry to break this news.

Do you have access to the pesticide spinosad (Conserve)?

Thank you very much again. I’ve met a agro technician yesterday and he told me that as all my orchids are infected it would be (much) easier to treat then with spinosad. Here this pesticide doesn’t has license for domestic use.
As I’m travelling today to Boston, I was wondering if it would be easy to find spinosad, as in a supermarket or a plants store?

Thanks again, and a nice day for everyone

Point of situation now: just lost 6 vanda’s spikes

[estación seca]

I have seen spinosad sold in garden centers in Arizona. I don't know whether it would be available in Massachussetts. It might be under a different brand.

[Orchonubee]

Originally Posted by KikaMaggie

Hello everyone,
Finally my Vanda bloomed this Autumn for the first time, and the flowers were nice for 1 week at most, and then some tiny bugs or mini caterpillars have eaten the back side of the flowers. It was happen also to other vanda’s spikes and to some phal flowers.
Does someone know how to fix it?
Thank you very much!
A nice week for you all.

Thrips are hard to control. One person mentioned orthene, which is a potent insecticide, stinks, but is quite effective on many insects. I use it on red ants. Another person mentioned spinosad (Capt Jack's Dead Bug Brew) which is a mild biologic insecticide. It may work but you will have to repeat the application many times, and it is not on the list of affected insects. The only thing I found that is listed for control of thrips is Azera, which you may find difficult to obtain other than on line. The best of luck with your dilemma.

[Clawhammer]

Thrips are not hard to eradicate because they are particularly resistant to insecticide, they are difficult to eradicate because they are excellent at hiding, are invisible to the human eye in 4 out of 5 stages of their lifecycle, spend 1 stage in the soil, aren't subject to systemics due to feeding on flowers, and move quickly between plants in greenhouse settings.

Spinosad has been the gold standard in fighting thrips mostly because of the minimal impact on flowers. The brand name Conserve is much more effective than mixes you find in garden centers, but it is also expensive and difficult to source outside the US. Unfortunately thrips have begun to develop a resistance, so it is important to mix insecticides as I explained before.

[KikaMaggie]

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

Thrips are not hard to eradicate because they are particularly resistant to insecticide, they are difficult to eradicate because they are excellent at hiding, are invisible to the human eye in 4 out of 5 stages of their lifecycle, spend 1 stage in the soil, aren't subject to systemics due to feeding on flowers, and move quickly between plants in greenhouse settings.

Spinosad has been the gold standard in fighting thrips mostly because of the minimal impact on flowers. The brand name Conserve is much more effective than mixes you find in garden centers, but it is also expensive and difficult to source outside the US. Unfortunately thrips have begun to develop a resistance, so it is important to mix insecticides as I explained before.

Thank you very much Clawhammer, I’ve used the insecticide mix (haven’t found spinosad) with good results, at least for now. I’ve noticed also that the thips also demaged badly new and fresh roots.Three Vandas were able to bloom, sending the pics. Thank you all.

[Clawhammer]

Beautiful flowers! Great work addressing the infestation, these wonderful plants will thank you with many future blooms

[Shadeflower]

I discoverd some more on two vanda's yesterday. Again hoping that is the last of them.

The new flowers look great.

[tmoney]

wow, nice blooms given your situation! best of luck!