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Aphid infestation

My indoor grow chamber seems to have an aphid infestation. It is hard on my smaller sundews, and they seem to be making a home of the Utrics, as well.

One solution suggested to me a long time ago was to use pet flea collars. If I went this route, how many would I need to assure full coverage of the grow chamber? Or is this solution really only recommended for small, enclosed terraria?

What insecticide would you recommend, other than the flea collars?
 
dont bother with the flea collars I hear they dont work and when it comes to all your plants you should use stuff thats made for aphids.
 
I just tried the dog flea collar approach. It doesn't seem to work. Though I purchased Orthenex, I haven't used it, due to a few horror stories in recent topics. What HAS worked, with no ill effect to the plants, was placing the infested pot in a larger, taller container and over-filling, so it drowns them. I have left plants in this state for 4 days to 2 weeks. It works.
 
I love the "how do I keep insects off my CPs" posts. Some people think they can keep insects off their house plants by geting a sundew. Then they discover the sundew suffers even more. With aphids, always try cultural controls like jimscott's before resorting to pesticides.
 
Do not use Orthenex (the spray version of Orthene) on dews or ping.  THEY WILL DIE.  Even my Dixie Lace Sarr was severly damaged but eventually recovered.
Submerging them in water for at least 72 hours will work and will cause no ill effects.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Lauderdale @ June 05 2005,10:06)]Do not use Orthenex (the spray version of Orthene) on dews or ping.  THEY WILL DIE.  Even my Dixie Lace Sarr was severly damaged but eventually recovered.
And such were the horror stories to which I refer!
 
I just scrape the aphids off with my fingers.......I grab the leaf at the base then run my finger along it, killing and knocking off all the aphids
and yes, I do have aphid blood and dead aphids all over my fingers afterwards lol
It works very well, but sundews might be sensitive to such treatment
 
BTW can snails drown in pool water?
 
  • #10
well they can.......the problem is they can crawl out of the water no matter which container they are in.......the best solution to killing snails is to put a teaspoon of salt all over their slimy bodies(not the shell) the salt will melt them and they will basicly be a pool of slime after about 10 minutes.
what you can do is place them in a cup with some beer or whine.....they will drink it and get drunk, then drown in the alchohol
I have a few of these traps outside in my garden, and there are a lot of dead snails and slugs in every one
 
  • #11
Normal, chlorinated pool water should kill snails. I've done the beer thing, later with bakers yeast and sugar, to drown whatever it was that was eating away at my strawberry patch. Copper is also used to kill invertebrates.
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Starman @ June 05 2005,2:27)]well they can.......the problem is they can crawl out of the water no matter which container they are in.......the best solution to killing snails is to put a teaspoon of salt all over their slimy bodies(not the shell) the salt will melt them and they will basicly be a pool of slime after about 10 minutes.
what you can do is place them in a cup with some beer or whine.....they will drink it and get drunk, then drown in the alchohol
I have a few of these traps outside in my garden, and there are a lot of dead snails and slugs in every one
LOL, I used to do that all the time at my cousins' house. After a long rain, the whole driveway and walkway would be covered in slugs, and we'd each get a handful of salt. Yes, we're all sadists deep inside.

Actually, the slug/snail first has a layer of its skin melted away, and it turns all orangy, like it's burning. Very interesting to watch.
 
  • #13
how safe is sevin? I've got a spray bottle of it I'm prepared to deply against the ahpid infesting my D. scorpiodes.
 
  • #14
Cynic, I believe that the spray "carrier" in the Orthenex was the culprit that damaged my plants, as granular Orthene is considered safe for Drosera and Pings.  However, it is very hard to find.
So I would be leery about using any spray product.  I believe Sevin is produced in a powder form and may be safe
 
  • #15
I am currently drowning all my Utrics, my Genlisea, and most of my sundews.

There are lots of small insects skimming the surface of the water, and a multitude of aquatic-looking swimming things.

I wish i had more U. gibba; this would be a perfect time to deploy it.
 
  • #16
Lauderdale and i tried the aerosol version of Orthonex around the same time... Almost all growth on my sarra was destroyed but everything recovered nicely. My dews also recovered.
I wouldn't try it again.
 
  • #17
It's not an aerosol spray, just a pump-action thing.
 
  • #18
I'd recommend submerging the plants for a day or so. Shouldn't hurt the plants at all but will drown unwanted critters.

Slug bait works great but if you don't want poisons, the beer thing is supposed to work.

Or...try a brownie. Ollie stole a platter of brownies, took it outside and when I found it, there were snails on the brownies. They ARE reaaaaally good brownies. lol
 
  • #19
[b said:
Quote[/b] (PlantAKiss @ June 06 2005,3:41)]Or...try a brownie.  Ollie stole a platter of brownies, took it outside and when I found it, there were snails on the brownies.  They ARE reaaaaally good brownies.  lol
Rhoda Morganstern!
 
  • #20
I realy love brownies PAK.  Warm brownies, with 'nilla ice cream on top and dripping with hot chocolate syrup...a big glass of cold milk...Um, um good.
I will bring the milk, you bake the brownies and William could brush off the snails.
 
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