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mealybugs

First off, if this is in the wrong place i apologize, mods feel free to move it if it is. Well, my aunt gave me an orchid around xmas time, and just today i spotted that it was infested with mealy bugs. The plant is on the same table in the window as all of my CP's, but i spot no bugs on any of them and want to be careful and probably treat them any way, the table has the orchid, a few neps, a sar, and a vft on it as well as one succulant and some sage. I have read a few posts here on what to do, but would you all suggest that I should just treat all of my plants even the ones that dont shw any signs of infestation, and a swabbing of alcohol and detergent should suffice until i get paid and can get some insect killer, the bayer brand i have read here a couple of places. Also, what type of detergent for the alcohol mix? And the alcohol mix will be safe for use on the CP's i hope.
 
um i would not use alchohol on my nepenthes because they are very sensitive and it might kill them orchids too unpot the orchid and wash it with tap water till there gone then wet it with distilled water then when you get the insect killer use it on the orchid only
 
Yes I would definitely not want to use any alcohol on cp's. You should look into a plant friendly insecticide.
 
Take this for what it is, but I have directly sprayed 70% isopropyl alcohol on Nepenthes and various orchid genera without washing it off with little to no harm done. Using q-tips dipped in this alcohol to remove mealybugs should be just fine on the orchid and Nepenthes (assuming its a Phalaenopsis). Never used alcohol on other CPs so wont comment there.

I would treat any plants that was in the same area as the orchid for precautionary reasons. I like to use Neem oil and is safe on Nepenthes, Drosera and Pinguicula in my experience. There is a good video on youtube regarding insecticides and CPs that was put out by a CP nursery.
 
hrmm I guess I was wrong. I had never heard that anyone did that. You learn something every day.:)
 
I would guess that species with thin leaves alcohol would do more damage than species with thick leaves. All the Nepenthes I did this on had relatively thick leaves.
 
I have some neem oil concentrate somewhere, just moved about a month ago and still unpacking while juggling work school and cycling a new fish tank. I will find it, should i water it down and spray it on the plants, I'll also swab directly with alcohol
 
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I believe the mix is 2-3ml of neem and 2-3 drops of dish soap to 1L of water but ill have to check and confirm tonight when I get home. I'll repost tonight or tomorrow AM.
 
Thank you, i feel kinda lame asking.for help, i want to get it figured out on my own but i find so much conflicting information it is good to have a place to ask and such
 
  • #10
Don't feel lame! Thats the whole point of this forums to learn and talk about stuff and to look at other people's plants and :drool:
 
  • #11
I know, just my nature to feel lame and kinda like a dummy for not catching this sooner, even though I have been growing plants for a couple years I have not come across this problem with pests before
 
  • #12
Well i got some of them swabed with alcohol. I can only see them on the oprchid so thats what i am treating first. Also found my neem oil concentrate

Edit: I guess i should probably post a picture of where my plants are set up, since i already attcked the bugs i cant really give you a pic of them, but I felt i should show you where my plants are. One of my neps is pretty big and if it happens to be infected i am not sure who i will treat it.
20130212230644.jpg

20130212230701.jpg
 
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  • #13
When I have problems with insect infestations on my CP's I use an insecticide called Bayer total tree and shrub. It is a systemic insecticide so it kills any insect trying to eat the plant. It lasts in the plant for 12 months but I use two soil drench applications about 4-5 days apart. If you do use it make sure the growing media is on the dry side before applying it and don't irrigate the media for 2 days after application. Hope I helped you somewhat.
John
 
  • #14
When I have problems with insect infestations on my CP's I use an insecticide called Bayer total tree and shrub. It is a systemic insecticide so it kills any insect trying to eat the plant. It lasts in the plant for 12 months but I use two soil drench applications about 4-5 days apart. If you do use it make sure the growing media is on the dry side before applying it and don't irrigate the media for 2 days after application. Hope I helped you somewhat.
John
Definitely helped me out thank you.
 
  • #15
Just looked at my Neem oil and it says 1/2 tsp to 1 quart of water... which is the same ratio I said above. I have used up to triple strength with no bad effects on Nepenthes.
 
  • #16
just giving an update, I havent seen any more on the orchid, but that doesnt mean they rent hiding, I have swabed it all with rubbing alcohol, and have been spraying with neep until i get paid tomorrow and can ge tmy hands on the insecticide. I did see one of my oldest nep, which has been suffering from rust any way since i got it. I immediatly squashed the little bugger when i saw it. And have not seen any more on it, i think that one ended up there because i acidentally knocked it off the orchid the other night. I remember knocking one off and couldnt find it. And so the battle continues, I will keep on attavking and being preventative. I am not sure what steps i should take with the plants that dont seem to have any on them, should i still do the rub down and treatment as if they were infested?
 
  • #17
You might have wanted to/ might still want to keep the orchid away from your other plants while its in treatment. As with most pests, sometimes treating the problem just spreads it elsewhere. If they don't like the plant they're living on because it has pesticide on it they could just move next door. If you can't separate it then the best thing you can do is treat them all so you don't just keep moving the pests from plant to plant though it can stress your plants out a bit.
 
  • #18
Luckily they havent seemed to spread, and the orchid is somewhat isolated. its also lower down than the rest of the plants.
 
  • #19
Thanks for this post, helped me a lot. All my plants have aphids. My sarracenias, vfts, utri, everything exept my nepenthes. Dunno why.
The vfts new leaves are attacked, and grown curved with mutation. But some new leaves grow normaly so my plants are not in critic situation.

I will buy neem oil this week-end. Maybe i will found that at Walmart, or homedepot?

Im in cps since almost 2 years now, and its the first time i experience pest (Exept my ex gf!)

Hope neemoil will work!

:(
 
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