Bioadvanced tree and shrub on orchids?

[Dimples]

Thanks, R.

B-lie, the label instructions are available online if you want to give them a once over before buying.

[Beginning-lie]

Thanks. The 3 in one is available where I work, was referring to the ones available from some other makers with imidacloprid 1.74% as the only active ingredient. The labels are shown on some vendor sites, but most are illegible if expanded. Too lazy to find the epa registration documents for them. Would like to know if any copper compounds are in any as I have several dens that wouldn't like copper based fungicides, I think. Don't believe there is any in the 3 in 1.

[Roberta]

No copper in 3 in 1. Imidacloprid (which is now illegal in a lot of states, California being one of them) is deadly to honeybees, which is why it was proscribed (at least for spraying). Bayer's Advanced 3-in-1 had that as the primary active ingredient - it is a very good systemic as well as contact insecticide. (Imidacloprid is also the active ingredient in Merit granules designed for lawns, which is still very available, go figure.) But at any rate, Bayer reformulated the product as BioAdvanced with a different insecticide ingredient, supposedly has the same effect. (I'm still working on bottles of the older product, which I use very surgically on orchids - which don't particularly attract bees.) Both old and new product also contain a miticide - imidacloprid isn't effective against spider mites. So if you get a product with only Imidacloprid, you need to be sure you're treating for insects not mites (which are arachnids).

A note on using any pesticide - don't use it prophylactically. Overuse tends to enhance the development of resistant bugs. Know what you are treating, and treat just that plant and maybe its neighbors. Apply weekly for 3-4 weeks (having a product with different method of activity that you can rotate is even better, again to fight resistance). But the repetition over time is vital - these produces don't kill eggs, may or may not kill larvae. So the repeated applications get the subsequent generations, and eventually reduce the pest population to a low level.

[Beginning-lie]

Noted. As I said, my plants live within a screened porch, and the likleyhood of contact with a non targeted insect (bees, butterflies, other pollinators) would be quite unlikely. Haven't had the displeasure of encountering mites over the last 3 years (knock on wood), mainly occasional encounters with mealies, and soft brown scale. Malathion works quite well, but a systemic wouldn't be a bad thing if after killing them, the activity went on for a while...

[KatieM]

Grow most of mine in a screened area outside as well and literally was going to post the same question! My neighbor's yard gets overrun with mealys and they like to sneak under my door and enjoy the orchid buffet so trying to be proactive this year as well. Thanks for posting, Beginning, and thanks for the product recommendation, Roberta!

[Dimples]

There is no copper in the Bonide tree & shrub drench 1.47% product. It’s just imidacloprid. I had the wrong maker for the product, sorry about any confusion. This one doesn’t have any fertilizer or additional additives.

Here’s the label.