Something pesty...

[Crescendo]

Hello,

My experience with Orchids is limited but I think they are great so want to figure them out. One of our orchids (of 7 newly acquired) has these strange brown bumps on it and sticky sap covering the leaves and flower shoot (see pics). I removed these brown bumps with a paper towel a few weeks ago and now they are back. What is it? It seems like a pest infestation. How do I treat it and prevent the others from getting it. The affected plant is kept away from the others.
Thanks.
Cres

[Emma Grey]

It looks like scale to me. Use alcohol and q-tips to remove them. I'm sure someone else who is more knowledgeable will add to this.

[Crescendo]

Hello,

My experience with Orchids is limited but I think they are great so want to figure them out. One of our orchids (of 7 newly acquired) has these strange brown bumps on it and sticky sap covering the leaves and flower shoot (see pics). I removed these brown bumps with a paper towel a few weeks ago and now they are back. What is it? It seems like a pest infestation. How do I treat it and prevent the others from getting it. The affected plant is kept away from the others.
Thanks.
Cres

[Shannara]

Looks like you have scale. I would find a systemic insecticide like Bayer 3-in-1. You can remove the ones you see with alcohol and a swab, but systemic will be your best bet when it comes to scale. Your local garden center or box store should carry it.

Good luck.

Shann~

[Shannara]

Evidently two threads have been created. I already responded in the other one. Hopefully a moderator will fix the issue and combine them into one.

Shann~

[koshki]

Ugh, yep that's scale. I use alcohol and Qtips in the winter, when it's too cold out to spray, but once I can safely take them outdoors, I go with the big guns...a systemic like Bayer's 3 in 1. Alcohol will only kill the ones you see, but the systemic gives you a shot at getting the whole problem.

[Crescendo]

What are the chances that this plant will survive the infestation if I treat it adequately? Also how likely is that the other orchids are also infected though I don't see any evidence of it yet, i.e. should I treat them empirically? Thanks.
Cres

[Crescendo]

Originally Posted by koshki

Ugh, yep that's scale. I use alcohol and Qtips in the winter, when it's too cold out to spray, but once I can safely take them outdoors, I go with the big guns...a systemic like Bayer's 3 in 1. Alcohol will only kill the ones you see, but the systemic gives you a shot at getting the whole problem.

What are the chances that this plant will survive the infestation if I treat it adequately? Also how likely is that the other orchids are also infected though I don't see any evidence of it yet, i.e. should I treat them empirically? Thanks.
Cres

[orchids4me]

Its scale. For an infestation I'd go with neem oil possibly but make sure the plant isn't in direct sunlight for a while the oil and sun will burn the leaves.
Others may have other solutions to try.
Emmaye

[orchids4me]

iplied in your other thread and said neem oil wasn't sure about 3 and 1. But shann confirmed it. I'd go with the 3 and 1 by bayer rather than neem oil.

[terra_australis]

Yes, it's scale. Eradicate them with extreme prejudice.

I suggest napalm!

Oh wait... you probably want your plants alive right?

Go with a systemic spray as you'll want to kill the juveniles as they emerge. The brown lumps are the dessicated body of the adult insect and underneath each is a bazillion eggs. Often just wiping the scale off isn't enough to kill the eggs so they slowly make their return. If you are dilligent you can keep them at bay just by alcohol swabbing but it's a lot of work if you've got a large number of plants and won't guarantee they won't set up shop on a previously unaffected plant.

Oh... and wipe off that sticky sap as well as it will only encourage sooty mould to develop.

[Orchidchick]

Hi Crescendo! The geeks are right again! Don't waste your time with topical sprays like neem oil. Run dont walk to the nearest garden center and get yourself a systemic to take care of those thugs right away before they get out of hand. They breed very quickly. I had this problem with one of my Mame bonsai and no matter how often I sprayed the foilage, dunked the tree in soapy water and wiped off the adults, they kept coming back. This is because you never get them all this way! But because the systemic concentrates in the plant sap on which they feed you eliminate both crawler and adult stages at once. In the crawler stage they can be quite mobile so if your chids are grouped closely, leaves touching, I would isolate the infested plant before the problem spreads.

[plucker]

Three ways. One is use a systemic spray which makes the plant poisonous to the critters.
An oil based spray like pest oil etc that suffocates them.
Or rubbing alcohol which burns them.

The last 2 are the safest way but takes the longest and requires multiple uses.

[Brooke]

You should also treat the plant once a week for three weeks to make sure you get the juveniles hatching out. You also should repot because with that heavy an infestation you probably have them in the media.

You should treat all plants in that area to make sure they haven't been infected. Be sure to saturate the media of all plants.

Brooke

[Greybeard]

Scale Sounds like you got the help you need though so good luck I haven't had that problem yet, knock on my head....wood

[koshki]

Cres, I think you'd have a fairly good chance that this plant will survive the scale. Keep in mind, though that any damage to the leaves will remain until they drop off naturally.

BTW, you should follow Brooke's advice to the letter.

I'm not sure why, but it seems there are 3 or 4 threads about this...mods, can these be combined into one? It's confusing me, anyway!

[iisnain]

same as my case....all i do is gently remove any possible infested area using kitchen knives..and later applied using insecticide which i spray to the cotton and gently rub all over the infested area...seems to be worked for me..but i keep my finger crossed...

[katrina]

Katherine -- give me the links to the threads and I'll see if they can be combined.

[Crescendo]

Originally Posted by Brooke

You should also treat the plant once a week for three weeks to make sure you get the juveniles hatching out. You also should repot because with that heavy an infestation you probably have them in the media.

You should treat all plants in that area to make sure they haven't been infected. Be sure to saturate the media of all plants.

Brooke

I worry about use the Bayer chemical as we live in an apartment and would be exposed to to it as well. Are there any "safer" and effective alternatives?

[Crescendo]

Hello,

I am starting a new thread to catch your attention but I am the owner of the unfortunate and heavily scale infested orchid shown in "Something pesty". Well, we live in an apartment and I worry about using Bayer due to potential exposure to the chemicals. Are there any "safer" and effective alternatives?
Thanks.
Cres

[Shannara]

Originally Posted by katrina

Katherine -- give me the links to the threads and I'll see if they can be combined.

Katrina I think she is referring to these:

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/new...chid-pest.html

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...ing-scale.html

Shann~

[plantloverlisa]

Bayer also makes "green" version , like Safersoap. My Lowe's carries it, any place that has the Bayer products should.

[kine671]

I've used Bayer on my indoor plants, just spray it outdoors and let it dry. Follow the instructions per the manufacturer, and you should be fine. I'm pretty certain it's the same thing, if not similar to the systemic application that is used on animals to control pests.

[E-Jag]

Here are 2 alternatives, neither of which are my invention but both of which are effective:

10 drops dish soap, 1/2 tsp cinnamon extract (not powder), 2 cups tepid water. A lot of people use this. The extract may be a little hard to find.

8 parts water, 1 part alcohol (rubbing) and 1 part dish soap. I know this is good for scale.

Good luck, scale isn't that hard to get rid of unless you've got tons of them.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Shannara

Katrina I think she is referring to these:



Shann~

Thanks Shann!

I've moved the other two threads into this one.

Crescendo -- in the future, please do not create the same thread in 3 different sections. It makes it really hard for people to help you. If you're not getting any activity, it could be that people haven't seen the post so you can "bump" it. Thanks!

[Crescendo]

Originally Posted by E-Jag

Here are 2 alternatives, neither of which are my invention but both of which are effective:

10 drops dish soap, 1/2 tsp cinnamon extract (not powder), 2 cups tepid water. A lot of people use this. The extract may be a little hard to find.

8 parts water, 1 part alcohol (rubbing) and 1 part dish soap. I know this is good for scale.

Good luck, scale isn't that hard to get rid of unless you've got tons of them.

That sounds doable. So far only one plant has visible infestation. Has anyone tried Fish Emulsion? I read online that may help too. Any suggestions on this approach?

[Crescendo]

Originally Posted by katrina

Thanks Shann!

I've moved the other two threads into this one.

Crescendo -- in the future, please do not create the same thread in 3 different sections. It makes it really hard for people to help you. If you're not getting any activity, it could be that people haven't seen the post so you can "bump" it. Thanks!

Sure! Thanks.

[terra_australis]

Originally Posted by Orchidchick

Hi Crescendo! The geeks are right again! Don't waste your time with topical sprays like neem oil. Run dont walk to the nearest garden center and get yourself a systemic to take care of those thugs right away before they get out of hand. They breed very quickly. I had this problem with one of my Mame bonsai and no matter how often I sprayed the foilage, dunked the tree in soapy water and wiped off the adults, they kept coming back. This is because you never get them all this way! But because the systemic concentrates in the plant sap on which they feed you eliminate both crawler and adult stages at once. In the crawler stage they can be quite mobile so if your chids are grouped closely, leaves touching, I would isolate the infested plant before the problem spreads.

I was told by a supplier that neem oil becomes systemic if used once a week for a couple of months. There on you only have to repeat every month to keep up the effect.