Dendrobium beetles

[Forever-mango]

The other night when i was doing my routine bug search and destroy mission, i discovered 4 leaves from my Dendrobiums on the ground. When I checked through the plant where the leaves came from i found a pair of fat dendrobium beetles. One was resting of a leaf and the other eating away. I managed to catch one and the other fell in the bark. I now do my bug checks in the morning and in the night. So far havent seen the other beetle yet.

I was wondering is there anything i could do to prevent or kill those stupid beetles? They are getting on my nerves!

Kind Regards
Stephen

[Ron]

I was wondering is there anything i could do to prevent or kill those stupid beetles? They are getting on my nerves!

.
Hi Mango.
That time of the year, the other problem which you may not notice for a while is they drill a small hole in the side of the stem and lay eggs in them.'
Next spring they hatch and the larvae eats out the inside of the stem and the whole plant rots away.
As mostly they settle on the underside of the leaves, tap the leaf and the will fall into your hand then crush them.
Could spray under the leaves but they will still do damage by the time it kills them.
I made my structure bug free as possible and no beetles so far.
good growing
Ron

[11Orchid126]

You may not see the other beetle on the SURFACE. He may be hiding and chewing on the roots or the rhyzome. Have you treated the medium with anything to kill him?

[tansyflower]

I live in fear of these little nasties (so far, so good). I didn't realise they were an Australian native (grrr). Good luck with getting rid of them.

Dendrobium Beetles

[davetheorchidaddict]

if the beatle falls in the medium, take the pot and fill a bucket full of water and totally cover the medium - the beatle has to have air and will come out so you can kill it. What is a Dendrobium beatle?

[mgfree]

This is what a dead one looks like.



Nasty little buggers they are!!!

[meanie]

I sympathise with you over your bug issue having myself suffered an attack of red spider mite on my Erythrina which spread to my Brugmansia, but that is one hell of a photograph!
Good luck!

[Undergrounder]

The only spray that works on them is Carbaryl... which is like the tactical nuclear weapon of the bug spray world. A weapon of last resort kind of thing (it's fairly nasty stuff).

[Forever-mango]

After killing one of the bugs, i havent seen its partner since. But i did manage to kill 2 small grub like thing in one of the holes made my the dendrobium beetle. I think its the babies, so i killed them. So far so good Thanks guys

[kid a]

Oh my goodness that is scary I hope we don't have them here

[sunshine]

Originally Posted by Forever-mango

After killing one of the bugs, i havent seen its partner since. But i did manage to kill 2 small grub like thing in one of the holes made my the dendrobium beetle. I think its the babies, so i killed them. So far so good Thanks guys

Those grub looking things are the babies. The hole you found them in is their nest. Any type of beetle is a PITA. If it were me, I would repot in fresh medium and give the pot a good scrubbing in some hot soapy/bleach water.Dawn w/bleach is great for this. I would imagine if you got an infestation you would have to treat with some type of insecticide like you would if you had mealy bugs. Sevin works great on beetles in the garden but I don't know about on orchids

Here is an interesting link I found and boy them are some nasty looking beetles.

Dendrobium Beetles

[Forever-mango]

After killing one of grubs a few weeks ago. I found a beetle at 7mm. Looks to me a like a youngster. It was grazing away on one of the leaves. It was bright yellow, so it was easy to find. I caught it in a jar and sprayed it with mortene and it apparently died quite fast.

Hopefully i dont see another one again. They do quite a large amount damage

[mgfree]

I just got one yesterday. It had been munching on leaves on and off for a few days.

Due to my obsession with my plants I like to walk around and gaze at them whenever I get the chance. Yesterday while doing this I noticed a few tiny yellow eggs in the top of a new pbulb on my Myrmecophila tibicinis. I removed the sticky eggs with a pin and squashed them. I then checked all my plants in the area and found a heap more, mostly on my favourite dens (of course). I could not find the beetle though. About 2 hrs later I went back outside and check the Myrmecophila again - what do you know, twice as many eggs as 2 hrs earlier. Eggs once again removed and squashed. 4hrs later I returned to my orchids to give them the once over again. No eggs this time, but fresh leaf damage!!! I did a bit of a twirl and looked up and HELLO DENDROBIUM BEETLE


Mango, don't forget to look in the top of your new canes as from my experience, this is where they like to lay when they are in a hurry.

I have only ever had 1 plant drilled into by a beetle with the eggs laid inside. The cane swelled to the point that I thought it was going to explode. It didn't and the plant has grown on with no problems thankfully! Here is a pic of the damage to my Den johannis- the cane is still alive 1 year later.



Good luck with them!

[davetheorchidaddict]

Have not seen anything like that around here and I hope I don't.

[Schlyne]

I'm glad they seem to be an aussie thing...I hope they don't make it over here!

[plucker]

I read somewhere the other day about a form of tea that when sprayed on the dens, repels these little critters. Anyone else remember where I can find that?

[jouli]

There are lotsof ideas here!!!!!!!!!
but people seem to be very casual with this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any body interested in a joint venture ?
I got some stuff to share

[plucker]

Someone kindly let me know the cure.
It is Twinings Lapsang Souchong tea sprayed over the plant. The smell it puts on the plant repels this beetle.

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by jouli

There are lotsof ideas here!!!!!!!!!
but people seem to be very casual with this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any body interested in a joint venture ?
I got some stuff to share

Hi jouli,
What you got to share?
If its regarding the beetles post it here if its other topics start a thread in general chat so mango's thread isn't hijacked. interested in what you mean about venture and stuff to share.
We all share around here.
Thanks
Emmaye

[zaeem]

This has been i.e.tea leaves on roses,or the water brew.but why not any tea?

AS I understand that tobacco water for spraying is good generally,no one brand.Can it be good?When smoking is prohibited near orchids,and smokers are supposed to clean hands when handling orchids.

[orchidenvy]

where did the photos go?

[orchidenvy]

Originally Posted by Schlyne

I'm glad they seem to be an aussie thing...I hope they don't make it over here!

ps: Schlyne is...that your kitty? he is the cutest ever...