Fight against a mealybug on an orchid

Malicious organisms become a problem when growing flowers of domestic plants. A mealybug on an orchid can destroy it if necessary measures are not taken to eliminate the pest and prevent it.

Mealybug on orchid leaves

Description of the pest

Phalaenopsis is affected by 2 species of these parasitic organisms: citrus and bristly. Soil varieties parasitize on the roots. Other subspecies use juicy shoots and flower leaves as food. Aleta, covering the body of the pest, they are popularly known as shaggy lice or felt.

Description of the appearance of the parasite:

• The body of the female has a rounded shape. Its length reaches 3-6 mm .
• The female body is covered with white threads on top.
• The size of the body of the male mealybug male is 2 mm.
• Externally, the male parasite is a winged insect with 2 outgrowths, located in the back of the body.
• Larvae look like yellowish-colored worms. They move along orchid leaves, trying to find food.

Males have a short lifespan, therefore they do not eat.

Females are usually motionless or move at low speed.After they are attached to the flower in one place and are intensely nourished by it. During this process, females form a bag for laying eggs from wax threads.

Larvae move faster than adult insects until they find a place to feed. After that, they gain strength and prepare for the molting process.

Parasites on orchids are easiest to destroy at the beginning of infection. Places of potential infection are carefully examined. Peduncles, foliage, and young shoots are cleaned of egg sacs and mealybug females using a swab of gauze. After the plant is wiped with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol tincture of calendula.

Due to the invasion of insects, there is a high probability of developing bacterial, fungal and viral diseases. Pests often appear in conditions of high crowding.

Chemicals

It is possible to get rid of the mealybug on orchids with chemicals that have a contact or intestinal effect. Young individuals are not yet coated with a protective wax coating. Because of this, the contact insecticide destroys the pest shell, getting on it. Due to the use of enteric-contact chemicals, treatment becomes more effective. These drugs are able to remove all parasites on the plant and allow you to fight the scourge faster and more successfully.

For the treatment of orchids, the following pesticides and insecticides are used:

• “Fitoverm”;
• “Vertimek”;
• “Aktara”;
• “Calypso”;
• “Actellik.”

“Fitoverm” and “Vermitek” – drugs that have an intestinal-contact mode of action on pests. Their toxicity is not as high as that of other chemicals used in the defeat of flowers by the mealybug.

Aktara has a killer effect on most harmful organisms that can infect phalaenopsis. To process the plant with actar, a special solution is prepared. To prepare it, 2 g of the powder is dissolved in 2.5 l of water.

Processing the phalaenopisis with the Calypso insecticide quickly kills harmful organisms. To save an orchid from a mealybug with its help is real, having prepared a solution of 1 liter of water and 0.5 ml of the drug.

Treatment with the Aktellik chemical is used in rare cases. The main indication for use is a massive lesion of flowers by parasitic organisms. One vial of insecticide is dissolved in 2 l of water. The prepared solution is used to spray leaves on both sides. Also, the root part of the orchid is treated with part of the working fluid. To cure it, 3-4 treatments are required. Between them observe a break lasting 7 days.

If the use of the drug did not allow to get rid of the worm on orchids, it is no longer used.After a 7-10 day break, the plant is re-treated using another insecticide.

Processing powdery mildew orchids

Folk remedies

At home, the elimination of parasites in the early stages of invasion is destroyed using the following method. The leaves of the plant are cleaned of parasites, all excretions are washed off. Parts of the flower that suffered heavy damage are cut out. The flakes located on the pseudobulb are also removed, and the air tubers are wiped with a moist cotton pad. The deciduous cover, located near the surface organ, is pushed back, and then the larvae are removed with cotton wool.

Pests can be controlled using folk remedies:

• 4-5 garlic cloves are insisted at 0 5 liters of boiling water. The resulting infusion is sprayed with the whole flower or used to wash the deciduous cover on both sides.
• 1 tbsp. l young ivy shoots pour a glass of boiling water. The plant is treated with chilled infusion.
• The pan is filled with water and potato peel. The contents of the dish are brought to a boil and continue heating for another 10 minutes. The plant is treated with a solution cooled to 40 ° C.

To combat the larvae and adult parasites, a soap-alcohol solution is used. It is prepared using 2 tbsp. l 70% alcohol, 1 tbsp. lliquid soap and 1 liter of soft water. The roots and flowers are covered to prevent the solution from reaching the surface. Pest colonies are subject to processing. To kill the pest at home, the solution is applied with a brush.

Heating helps fight harmful organisms no less effectively. When using this method, care must be taken: sunbathing leads to burns of the deciduous cover of the flower. The mealybug on orchids is ruined by temperatures above 35 ° C. An effective measure is a shower for a plant for which water is used at a temperature of 45-50 ° C.

Prevention

It is imperative to water the flower with a dried substrate. The depth of watering is 1 cm. In case of accumulation of liquid in the pan, it is emptied. The pot that contains the flower is constantly cleaned of debris and dead leaf cover. They also regularly wash the potted shelf using hot water.

In the summer, the parasite larvae enter the room due to gusts of wind. For this reason, plants are periodically inspected, suspicious specimens are isolated from the rest.

New flowers are quarantined: placed separately and carefully observed. If there is a suspicion of infection with harmful insects, the orchid is immediately treated with folk remedies or with an insecticide solution.

Conclusion

Mealybug on orchids is a serious problem that needs to be fought on time. The florist can use folk remedies for controlling insects or heal the plant using one of the preparations for mealybug on orchids.