CAMP LOT A NOISE TROPICALS

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SOME ORCHID PESTS ...AND THEIR SIGNS

As with our page on rots, Please realize that this brief informational sheet is necessarily general. It is not meant to be a definitive answer to orchid pests. It is posted here in the hopes that our past experiences may help some other orchid grower. Please use this page as a starting point to identify the general problem area, so a specific treatment may be started.

APHIDS

Tiny green/white/yellow or pink insects; Live and feed in colonies on young growth, buds or flowers. Stunt plant growth. As aphids secret a honey dew, they are "herded" by ants, who harvest the secretions; Believed to be vectors for spread disease.

Treatment:

Malathion- I teaspoon (t) per Liter (L) spray. If plants have buds or flowers use Cygon water as drench or Safer's soap, diluted 1:40. Diazinon I t. per Liter Outox 1-2 t. per Liter

MEALYBUGS

Small white cottony immobile insects. Form colonies at stem joints & near base of leaves (usually on underside) and in young growth & under bracts.

Treatment:

same as aphids.

SNAILS & SLUGS

Commonest destructive pests. Feed nights and cool days. Hide on warm days. Leave silvery slime trail.

Treatment:

Methaldehyde product placed around pots and/or around bulb carrying flower spike.

SCALE

Small insects attach to stems, leaves, bulbs & rhizomes. Generally covered with protective shell, form colonies. Can spread fast, often moved by ants.

Treatment:

70% isopropyl alcohol. scrub with toothhbrush entire plant, spray once a week for 3 wks, spray once a month thereafter. Cattleya scale is cottony white.Safers soap 1:10 dip

BACTERIAL ROT

Soft squishy dark brown/black areas on leaves frequently circular. On bulbs, blackened area extending to rhizome.

Treatment:

Cut off infected parts %L seal with Tree Seal. Use Natriphene or Dithane M-45 per box directions. Physan or RD 20 are also good, but have little residual. Ground cinnamon will dry up the watery areas. Run dry.

BLACKENED LEAF TIPS

Dry blackened area extends from tip of leaf downward, usually caused by migration of excess fertilizer salts. Treatment:

Cut off leaf tips with hot sterile tool. If excess salts are noticeable in potting media (caked white mineral buildup), then repot with fresh media. Then water normally several times with clear water. If recently repotted, flush potting media with clear water several times. Also can be the result of cold damage and/or heat stress. If so, adjust enviromental temperature controls.

SPIDER MITES

Worst of summer pests. Fine grey stippling on leaves with fine silvery webs on underside: need hand lens to see them. Most common is the red spotted mite.

Treatment:

More Info

VIRUS

Shows up where the cells in the leaf has been killed. White stripes. In flowers shows mottled appearance. Spread by mechanical means.

Treatment:

isolate or destroy infected plant. No cure. Flame all cutting tools to prevent spreading. Sterilize all cutting tools to prevent spread of virus.

ETHYLENE

- is a colorless, gaseous hormone produced by plants to regulate natural development and deterioration. However, when Orchids are exposed to external ethylene gas from vehicle exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, and naturally ripening fruit, the results are often detrmental. Exposure of Orchids to ethylene often result in flower and flower bud blasting (drop), as well as leaf yellowing and leaf fall.

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