Chlorpirifos / systemic insecticides and orchids

[Sardine]

We can still get Chlorpirifos in SA. Its a nasty chemical, yes, but...

I have been carefully bringing a few plants back to health, but noticed a tiny mealy bug lately.

Just how safe are these systemic insecticides to orchids?

I have a suspicion that dilutions below the recommended levels are ineffective, but am concerned because my orchids that display their displeasure at just plain bad water quality!

Where there is one darn mealy bug there are normally more, so I want to clear my plants asap.

Many thanks for your advice.

[dtje2000]

My personal feeling is you may want to ask how safe the stuff is for you and your pets. There's a couple of home-made recipes used as insecticides...one is peppered throughout this forum, often referred to as brookn's recipe. I also saw a recipe on the AOS website for 16 oz rubbing alcohol, 16 oz 409 cleaning solution, and the rest water to make 1 gallon total. Put it in a hand sprayer and use topically when you see insects. You can be assured both are safe around your family and critters.

I have yet to mix up any of the AOS recipe, but I intend to do so this weekend... I've got TONS of ants and other crawly things I can't really identify on my outside chids.

[Sardine]

Yes, you have to be careful with chlorp.

The point is - a systemic insecticide is what I want - it will get all the critters that happen to want to bite into the plant.

Just need to hear how sensitive orchids can be to this chemical at certain concentrations?

Choosing between one spray of chlorp, I prefer even less the almost continuous application of DEFINITELY non-fresh-water-like sprays, I think.

[dtje2000]

The systemic that I'm familiar with here is called Orthene. It stinks to heaven and back and the warnings on the label are such that you feel you need a biohazard suit to apply it, and then quarantine the area until there's not a drop of moisture left. That said, it works very well (for me) when used as directed. Of course, orchids are included in the instructions as a class of plant, so it's evidently safe for the plant. I'm not familiar with your chemical...does it indicate what it should be used on, and conversely, restrictions for use?

[willowbanks]

Hello Sardine and welcome.

I've heard of Chlorpyrifos (active constituent 500g/L) being used on orchids without any problems. I use it on a lawn bowls green and it works a treat as a broad spectrum insecticide. Grass is less tolerant of chemicals than our orchids.

"Its a nasty chemical, yes, but..." So are the bugs we want to kill to protect our plants, it's no more dangerous than a lot of other poisons like Rogor, Malathion and probably less dangerous than Supracide. Sprayed correctly and there is no problem.

Home made recipes, I don't waste my time with them, I do preventative insecticide and fungicide spraying and never have a problem.

If you need help working out the application rate, I can assist you there, would just need some specific details.

Bill

[Ron]

Hi.
It is an unkown chemical to me in Australia.

Untitled Document

From above website it looks to be safe(?) and efficient.
As for orchids, they can just about take what is used on ordinary garden plants.
They say 5ml per Lt. on some plants and up to 20 Ml per Lt on others.
Mealy bugs are tuff little b's.
Perhaps at 10 Ml per Lt. would do a much better job than half strength.
Try it on 1 or 2 plants you will not miss to much first.
Always use safety gear and mask when using these toxic chemicals.
Check out PAN Product Info for Sbp-1382 chlorpirifos insecticide transparent emulsion 0.05 + 0.5
Cheerio
Ron

[Sardine]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the help. Lol, yeah, this stuff stinks as well. So its respirators and gloves as soon as it stops raining.

Cheers

[tansyflower]

My husband, who has worked as an agricultural agronomist for years, say that chlorpirifos (sp?) is very effective, especially on ants but is a carcinogen.

[willowbanks]

"say that chlorpirifos (sp?) is very effective, especially on ants but is a carcinogen."

That's great Tansyflower but I think if you have a good look around you'll find most of the good insecticides and fungicides are carcinogenic just like petrol and kerosene.

Bill

[Sardine]

I have sprayed my plants (all of them, clivias included) with a recommended concentration of chlorp. about 2 weeks ago.

All of them look ok now (and with no mealy bugs!) although my cymb has a flower with some brown marks.

This is (in a way) encouraging - I can't see any bugs on my plants lately. If/when I need to spray again, I will avoid spraying any flowers. (I sprayed them this time because I also noticed aphids.)

Sheesh, bugs are fast at finding good food....................

[willowbanks]

Sounds like you have the problem under control Sardine.

All you need to do now is preventative spraying (what you can't see), not reactionary spraying and you won't have the problem again.

Bill

[Sardine]

It wasn't so much reactionary as last-resort....!

I am being as careful as I can about even just plain water quality, so spraying with insecticides is kind of on the wild edge!

[Plucky Purcell]

I fought using a systemic for a long time, but finally bit the bullet this year. I hate having the break out the respirator and the pvc gloves but it's worth it each time I look at a plant and don't see any bugs chewing on it!

[dounoharm]

the stink in chemicals is usually added to the chemical to make people aware that it is used.....sort of as a warning device.....most nasty chemicals really have no odor...

[mehitabel]

dtje, what I have found is that there are times when you have a persistent problem, and other times when you just have one or two adventitious pests. These are very different situations, and don't necessarily need the same treatment.

I use an alcohol/water mix for the occasional scale or mealie where I'm pretty sure there isn't a serious or recurring infestation. I don't use 409, just about 1/4 cup/quart of dishwashing detergent like ivory liquid. This works very well. The detergent gets the little buggers thoroughly wet and the alcohol finishes them off.

I use this on a q-tip to get the pests that show up on flowers (commoner for me than pests on leaves).

If I have a recurring situation, I would use a systemic, but Safer's has a 4-in-one spray that is supposed to give protection for 30 days, and that's usually enough if you spray several times a few days apart.

I have also used those Botani-wipes for the one or two situation. Those work fine, and make the leaves look nice.

Hope this helps.