I think I have mites !!!

[articuno75]

I don't know, but I think I caught my first case of mites. I don't know, cause I never had them before. I was watering the plants earlier today and noticed that my beloved Neo. Shu Ten Nou had spots on one leaf. The spots are yellow were there is chlorophyll damage. I automatically did a dishsoap/cinnamon spray on all of my plants as a precaution, but here is a picture so you all can see and tell me what you think.....

[brookn]

To me it looks more bacterial. When I had mites they left small pits in the leaves, and there was whitish stuff on the underside of the leaves. I would cut the bad off and treat with cinnamon.

[gongo77]

I would cut it off to be on the safe side.

[sandra]

I agree with both brookn and gongo. Are you growing indoors? Is this near that large Catt. division you're having problems with?

and don't forget...

Quarantine!

[articuno75]

I grow inside by my windows. It wasn't near the Catt until about a month ago I moved all of the small divisions after they were doing better. None of my other babies are showing anything. I had treated all of my plants for bacteria and fungi as a precaution with Bayer and Physan. (Except for the Neos, I used Physan) Okay you can beat me up now.

[articuno75]

Here's a pic of the Catt divides...

[articuno75]

Here's a pic of all my orchids on the other stand...

[evagentry]

your divides look good, I also had a problem with mites this winter, but it was on a nobile type dedrobium ,wen I misted its bare canes I found webbing, I used a spray and after three treatments the problem is gone.

[articuno75]

Well I thought I seen silvery-like threading, but I don't have a jeweler's loop or a magnifying glass. I just freaked and gave the babies a bath

[evagentry]

a bath will help but water alone I dont think it will kill them, if it is mites it will probably take stronger measures.

[articuno75]

Oh not just water, I used dishsoap and cinnamon extract

[evagentry]

I hope it works fo you, they are terrible to get rid of, I have a large lemon tree with mites, and i have had a hard time getting rid of them , I think my orchid got the mites from the tree, maybe off my hands.

[articuno75]

Well I think I'm going to get the scissors and cut it off. Everyone says bacteria, and I don't want to take chances. I can sacrifice a leaf. Must prepare for orchid surgery first thing in the morning. Operation-leaf removal.

[rmt135]

I saw my friend's orchid that was infested with mites & it did not look like yours. My friend's orchid leaf has a few very tiny small mark. Maybe removing the leaf is a better choice.

You surely have your hand full this pass few days. The 12 divisions & now bacteria.

Whooh...........

[articuno75]

Originally Posted by rmt135

I saw my friend's orchid that was infested with mites & it did not look like yours. My friend's orchid leaf has a few very tiny small mark. Maybe removing the leaf is a better choice.

You surely have your hand full this pass few days. The 12 divisions & now bacteria.

Whooh...........

Oh no, These divisions were in far worse shape believe me. They look much better now than a 1 1/2 ago. When it was a big plant there was rot, fungus, sunburn, mechanical damage, bugs, and the bacteria to boot.

I think I'll dip my Neos in Bayer. You don't think that will be too harsh to you?

[rmt135]

Oh no. Not the Bayer.

Please please please be gentle. Don't be too harsh on me....

[articuno75]

LOL! I'm going to dilute it down enough that hopefully it won't scar them. Mix rate is 5 Tablespoons per gallon, so I'll do half that. The leaf hasn't changed and none of the other plants are showing any signs. I think it's just this one that has gotten sick. I gotta flame my little scissors that I have. It's the only thing that I got that is small enough to cut the leaf. After that I'm going to Peroxide, cinnamon and then spray the whole collection.

[articuno75]

Operation complete. Now to bathe everything in BA 3 in 1....

[Camocustom]

has anybody tried a mite/lice spray for REPTILES? I have lots of experience with lots of animals first hand, and they even make it for birds. Im new to orchids, but those of you who have birds know how sensitive they are....companies wouldn't make it if it would kill animals...i will get a list of ingredients. They work very very well. ON reptiles/birds

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Daniel, if you are going to experiment, better pick a plant you don't mind losing. There are plenty of additional chemicals that are used for various mechanical reasons, which are selected to be harmless to the target organism needing help. There isn't too much biologically in common between reptiles and orchids.

Jenny, so far 'Bayer Advanced 3 in 1' has been very gentile on all my orchids, so I would not cringe at its use on any orchid. Just off hand, I would say that the damage on the Neo does not look like mites. Damage from mites often looks like white areas, giving a silvery appearance (from chlorophyll being removed). In the future, don't be so quick on the draw. First get a strong magnifying glass to inspect the backside of the leaves. You might go shopping for a jewelers loupe, around 4 power, to have it for inspecting all your plants, because if it was mites, you will probably find them one one or two other plants as well.

[Camocustom]

i wasnt insinuating that she go ahead and try it. The mites have all the same things in common. With all due respect, reptiles and birds are very sensitive creatures to things like that, did you know silicon in cook pans can kill caged birds nearby. I will be more than happy to spend $12-20 on a plant and lice spray and have a little experiment.

[11Orchid126]

I have read somewhere that it's not wise to dilute the mix rate. It said that the lower rate won't kill the critters. It will only help them to build an immunity to the chemical.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Yes, I missed that. DON'T reduce the mix ratio. Your plants will be fine at the proper concentration.

[articuno75]

5 1/4 Tablespoons to 1 gallon, gotcha It does seem a bit steep though. I used the proper amounts. Cynthia, you battle bacteria more than anyone I know. Do you spray weekly or monthly? I spray monthly as a preventative, (never did the Neos, DUH...) but I'm having to rethink this if my Neo caught something from the others. Should I spray more frequently?

[digitalgate]

it all depend on the types of mites you have. So far I have encoutered 3 different type of
mites. white ones, flat ones, red ones, two spotted ones(two spotted mites). Too lazy to
identify the type of mites. Of all the types of mites i have encountered. Two spotted
mites is the strongest. None of my miticides work. I am going to use fungus to kill them.
Let you know how that will go. in the mean time, here a few method.

1) spray with water works, if you followed with toothbrush to get rid of the all the eggs
(you need very good eyes and microscope to get rid of them) it only take one mites to
lay 4 eggs per day and restart all the infestation. Work for some of my PHalaenopsis
and roses
2) Abamectin is great for flat, red spider mites . They die man, they die. Follow up
with tooth brush to get rid of eggs. Use soap to reduce surface tension of water and
suffocate the eggs of oxygen and kill them in the process.
3) Two spotted mites is very very resistance to any miticides that i have
i have used
- dimethoate , Omite, Abamectin(with break through), without any success. I isolate
these plant from the rest of the collection.
- alchohol, soap,
all of the above is useless against two spotted mites.
what works
-fire- burn them alive! , Using a 10x magnifying glass, look for all the egg and mites.
Use tooth brush to brush them off. Spray the plant with strong jet of water.

think logically, treat them like bacteria. Do not reinfect your plant with dirty pail, glove,
cutting tools, work surfaces or anything in contact.
- try predatory mites if you have access to them.
- try biocontrol fungus.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I actually have very little in the way of bacterial infections, which usually occur because I have the culture way off, too cold and too wet are the most common causes. But it is the fungal problems that have created havoc for me, and I am pretty sure it all traces back to the use of neem oil, probably degraded stuff. When I think of the enormous number of plants that I thought were just too difficult to grow and lost, it just boggles my mind what damage that oil did. I expect my losses over 5 years to be around $1000, but my husband said not to go back and figure the likely cost, as he doesn't ever want to know. Certainly, if I added in the cost of setbacks where mature plants were reduced seedling sized, it would go well over that figure. I have not lately used the systemics on the entire GH, only the recovering plants, and a few that look like they are not going to make it anyway. I think that I am over the hump with this problem and am seeing much more vigorous growth in all the difficult plants, and expect real progress in my collection now. For the iffy plants, I sometimes spray them every day, but more often 2 to 3 times per week. Everything is very powdery looking because of the Thiophanate Methyl. Every so often I think of one of those lost plants, and recognize that it was probably the neem, each being an isolated genus, so no family susceptibility had been noted in my own mind, but I now believe it is there. I have done this now a dozen or more times, and it is hard not to get very angry. But I have myself to blame. I should have recognized the relationship a great deal sooner. So I just look forward now, not back. Things are going to be absolutely wonderful. Just what I always wanted in my retirement, to be surrounded by tons of wonderful, vigorous, blooming plants.

But to get back to your question about spraying regularly, I don't think it is that good an idea. Healthy plants won't mind a few spores around, and you don't really have a product that covers everything anyway. Phyton 27 probably comes closest, but rumor has it that Andy of Andy's orchids if really down on the stuff, and that is one item of discussion I will have with him at the next show.