White plaque on orchids how to treat. Possible pests of orchids, methods of treatment and prevention

Midges bred in orchids, what to do Welcome to the well useful information about pests, dear visitors!

The case of fate skidded into the notary's office. Everywhere beautiful flowers, especially impressed by the orchid.

Not an office, but a real flower showcase. But the conditions are not the same as in the greenhouse, so the flower suffered the fate of many orchids.

A professional look immediately identified the presence of a mushroom mosquito. What to do if midges are wound up in orchids, and this is exactly what a mosquito looks like, read the article.

What kind of midges start in orchids?

If you notice that midges are flying around the orchid pot, then you may have questions:

• What kind of midges start in orchids?
• Are midges dangerous in orchids?
• What needs to be done, and how to get rid of midges in orchids?
• Today's article is devoted to the answers to these questions.

Midges that start in orchids can be "harmless" mushroom gnats, or they can be "harmful" thrips. In order to choose the right means of protection, it is necessary to identify the flying insect.

To start, take a look at your watering schedule and make sure you don't water your orchid and leave two to three dry days between waterings. At the same time, dry days are not those days when the soil dries up on the surface of the pot, but those days when the soil dries out completely throughout the entire depth of the pot.

For more information on how to determine if the soil in a pot with an orchid is dry, read the article “How often to water an orchid”. Next, evaluate if there is damage to the orchid leaves: multiple dark dots or a silvery film.

Mushroom mosquito in an orchid

If you water your orchid often and do not leave two or three dry days between waterings, and there are no characteristic lesions on the leaves (multiple dark dots or a silvery film), then in your case, most likely, a mushroom mosquito wound up in the orchid.

Where live? Mushroom mosquitoes live in the ground. If we talk about orchids, then, as a rule, mushroom mosquitoes settle in those pots in which the soil consists not only of bark, in which moss or peat is added.

Mosquitoes live in clean bark only if the bark has already decomposed. In particular, mushroom mosquitoes came to our house and lived in plants that grow in the soil, but they were not interested in orchids that grow in the bark.

Appearance? Adults look like small black mosquitoes, in fact, they are most often represented when they talk about "midges".

Are they dangerous? Adult mushroom mosquitoes are not harmful. Harm can be caused by larvae, which in in large numbers can damage the roots.

How to treat? The main method of protection is drying: the larvae do not hatch in dry soil, and adults live for two weeks. Start by cutting back on watering your orchid. Additional items can be purchased at flower shop sticky tape yellow color to collect adults.

Or put a yellow saucer with water - mosquitoes fly to yellow. In extreme cases, you can replace the soil by washing the roots of the orchid from mosquito larvae. And continue to follow general rules watering orchids.

Thrips in orchids If you notice that multiple bites have appeared on the leaves, which on the green leaf of the orchid become white, silvery, and darken over time, then there is a high probability that your orchid is being devoured by thrips.

Where live? Thrips, unlike mosquitoes that live in the ground, live on leaves and actively feed on orchid leaves.

Appearance? They have an elongated shape, a striped abdomen and two wings.

Thrips, rather, do not even fly, but run fast and hide in the bark. Multiple lesions appear on the leaves - places of bites,

Are they dangerous? Thrips, unlike mushroom mosquitoes, bring significant harm to the orchid. Insects pierce plant cells and completely suck out the juice from them. In places of bites, fungi can start.

The orchid leaf itself receives not only and not so much a decorative defect, but dies, deprived of cell sap. Therefore, when thrips are found on an orchid, you should not delay their destruction.

How to treat? For treatment, it is necessary to rinse the orchid in the shower (during the next watering), which will allow you to wash off some of the individuals, and treat the orchid with fitoverm (or another drug for thrips) according to the instructions at least 3 times with a break of 10 days.

source: http://orchid-questions.ru/

Insects that breed in orchids

Nowadays, growing orchids as houseplants is gaining more and more popularity. But flower growers often face a problem when small midges start up in orchids that can damage plants.

It is not surprising that they try to get rid of these insects as quickly as possible. For effective fight with midges on orchids, you should first find out which species is bothering you.

Often, pest larvae are brought along with the soil. After flowers are planted in it, midges appear, which multiply rapidly. If insects are wound up in one of the pots with indoor plants, they also populate neighboring ones, if there are suitable conditions there.

One of the main conditions is sufficient soil moisture. Excessive watering can be one of the reasons for the appearance and rapid reproduction of midges in flowers. Before taking any control measures, you need to find out which midges are wound up in home orchids.

• If you notice damage, but do not find pests, wait a while using chemicals - this may be a consequence sunburn or other troubles. Most often, in the soil where orchids grow, sciarids settle - small insects 3-5 mm long, black, popularly called flower midges.
• In fact, these are mushroom or fruit mosquitoes, similar to small flies. These insects lay their eggs in the ground, where worm-like larvae develop, 6-7 mm long, white color. Sciarids themselves do not harm plants, but their larvae damage seedlings, thin roots of weakened plants and seedlings.
• These lesions can become foci of rot and sites of fungal diseases. Therefore, small black "midges" that have settled in orchids can cause significant harm to plants. Flower growers are often mistaken for whites small midges tiny butterflies - whiteflies.
• These miniature insects fly fast and hide well. It is not difficult to detect these insects, one has only to touch the leaves or the ground, and they immediately take off. Butterflies are usually not interested in plants with dense leathery leaves, but settle on thin-leaved orchids with delicate skin.

Whiteflies and their larvae feed on plant sap, sucking them out of the leaves. As a result, the plant withers, the affected leaves curl up and turn yellow. The eggs and larvae of this pest are yellowish in color. They can be found on orchids - on the surface of the leaves, under the bark and leaves.

Another type of insect that infects orchids and looks like midges is thrips. Insects are very small, only 2–2.5 mm long. They are capable of causing serious damage to any type of orchid. Thrips look like small dark brown or black "sticks" equipped with two pairs of wings that are folded on their backs.

They run fast and instantly hide in the ground. Unlike sciarids, thrips, having flown onto a plant, try to hide in the substrate as quickly as possible. These pests are nocturnal, and it is extremely rare to see them during the day.

Attention!

Therefore, to make sure that thrips are wound up on the orchid, some flower growers guard about flower pot with a flashlight. One of the signs indicating that the plants are affected by this pest is the appearance of many dark spots and a silvery film on the surface of the leaves.

Thrips lay their eggs in leaf tissue. The larvae that have emerged from them (tiny yellow or green worms), which are almost impossible to see with the naked eye, live inside the leaves, feeding on their tissues.

As a result, the leaves become covered with many holes and dark spots, wither and die. These "midges", settling on orchids, infect both leaves and flowers, and also "gnaw" the roots. Flowers have damage similar to leaves, constrictions appear on the roots.

Sometimes in pots where orchids grow, they settle fruit flies(Drosophila). it small insect about 3 mm long. They feed on fermented vegetables and fruits, as well as food residues of plant origin.

These midges settle in the substrate if the plants are watered with tea leaves or sprinkled with the remnants of tea from the teapot as fertilizer, which is undesirable. Sometimes they are attracted by semi-rotted moss or peat.

But fruit flies can choose a flower pot as a breeding site if the soil in it is constantly watered excessively. For plants, the insects themselves and their larvae are completely harmless, but flower growers should be alerted by the fact of their settlement in the ground - there is definitely excessive watering, which may not be harmless to the root system.

Carefully monitor the watering of the orchid - excessive soil moisture can cause midges.

Measures to combat midges in orchids What to do if small midges are wound up in orchids?

First of all, you should find out which insects settled in the flowers. Depending on the type of insects, control measures are selected.

If fruit flies settled in pots, then it is quite possible to do without the use of pesticides.

It is necessary to remove the mulch layer of tea or moss from the pots and reduce watering so that the substrate has time to dry out.

• In addition, it is necessary to ensure that there are no rotten vegetables, fruits and food residues in the room. If you completely deprive fruit flies of food, then nothing more needs to be done: after a short period of time, they will disappear on their own.
• To speed up the process, you can additionally use sticky fly traps. Fighting sciarids is somewhat more difficult, but quite realistic. In order not to bring insects with the soil, it is advisable to use special sterilized soil mixtures.
• If the substrate is prepared on its own, then it should be poured abundantly with water and allowed to drain, and then frozen for several days. Often, fish bones are poured into pots with orchids as fertilizer, coffee grounds, sleeping tea leaves, etc.
• This should not be done, because, decomposing, such fertilizers can become an excellent environment for fungal mosquito larvae. Against the flying "fly" - sciarids - drugs are used to kill flying insects: Raptor, Raid, Neodychlophos and others.

They need to spray shelves, window sills, window frames. To get rid of the larvae that are in the substrate, soil insecticides are used, such as Thunder-2, Bazudin, etc. As repellents, citrus peels, garlic cloves, dill sprigs or lavender leaves are laid out in pots.

You can get rid of whitefly butterflies by spraying the affected plants at intervals of five days with insecticides (Fury, Aktara, Sherpa, Bazudin, etc.). Spraying plants and the Aktellik substrate helps well.

As additional funds orchid leaves are washed with a solution of laundry soap (proportion 1:6). It is useful to shed the substrate once a month under running water. To combat thrips, plants and soil are sprayed with Fitoverm or Aktellik two, or better three times, with an interval of 10 days.

AT preventive purposes the leaves are rubbed or washed every five days. The soil is shed under running water once a month.

source: http://vredstop.ru/

Midges in the orchids. How to get rid of an insect

Small midges in orchids can lead to the death of the plant. To prevent this, you need to get rid of them. We will fight various methods and means. Orchid - unusually gentle and beautiful flower, which can be found in almost every home.

Many flower growers face such a problem as midges while growing a plant. This small insect can destroy a flower, so you need to get rid of them immediately. How to get rid of midges in orchids?

Midges appear due to contaminated soil. The substrate that is purchased for the plant can be infected with larvae, which, after planting the plant, begin to multiply rapidly. The reason for the appearance of insects can also be high humidity soil.

Fighting midges

Determine the type of midges that attacked a beautiful plant. Then you need to choose measures to fight.

1. Drosophila. To combat this type of insect, it is not recommended to use pesticides. It is enough to remove the moss from the pot and reduce watering. This method will allow the substrate to dry out and thus the insects will disappear.
2. Sciarida. Fighting these midges is a little more difficult. In order not to bring insects with the soil, use special sterilized soil mixtures. To eliminate the flying fly, the following drugs are used: "Raptor", "Raid", "Neodiclophos". To get rid of the larvae that are in the substrate, soil insecticides are used: Thunder-2, Bazudin.
3. Butterfly-whitefly. Treat the plant with insecticides: Fury, Aktara, Sherpa, Bazudin, Aktellik.

To avoid infection, wash orchid leaves with soapy water. It is also useful to shed the substrate once a month under running water.

source: http://nasekomye-vrediteli.ru/

Orchid pests At home, in tropical and subtropical countries, orchids are affected by a wide variety of pests.

Fortunately, most of these pests do not live in our country. In room culture, orchids suffer from several types of pests that are widely specialized and, in addition to orchids, damage a number of ornamental and agricultural plants.

The most dangerous for orchids in our conditions different kinds shellfish, such as snails and naked slugs. These pests are omnivorous and damage almost all the succulent parts of orchids - roots, bulbs, leaves and flower stalks. Particularly affected by them are the tender parts of plants - buds, young sprouts, flowers. Slugs and snails can also cause great harm to seedlings, sometimes completely destroying them.

When growing seedlings, in addition to snails and slugs, wood lice are extremely dangerous, gnawing young roots and the bases of the bulbs on which the buds are located. Adult plants are not as much threatened by wood lice, but at very high numbers they cause noticeable damage to their roots.

In addition, a number of sucking pests are found on orchids - scale insects, scale insects and mites, which, feeding on the juices of the plant, greatly weaken it and, importantly, significantly worsen appearance orchids.

All these pests are brought into rooms with newly acquired plants, so each new specimen is carefully examined and subjected to preventive treatment for insurance.

For its implementation, well-evaporating insecticides in aerosol packaging, such as dichlorvos, are used. The plant is placed in plastic bag, which is pre-sprayed with an aerosol from the inside. Then the bag is closed and left in a warm place for 3-4 hours.

In no case do not spray the leaves and stems of plants, as this almost certainly causes severe burns and the complete death of orchids. After treatment, the plant is washed warm water and placed in its designated place.

In order to eliminate a disease or a pest, it is necessary to learn to determine what factor or organism actually caused this or that damage.

source: http://www.zooclub.ru/

Black midges fly near the flower, sciarids

I have midges in my flower pots. There are a lot of them. The earth was steamed. The soil contains not only peat, but also sand, hardwood. I tried to bring them out with a fly-eater, but they are still there. And in some pots, in the pan, the larvae. I transplanted flowers in the fall, now I think it’s not worth replanting. What should I do?

Mushroom mosquitoes or sciarids fly around the pot - small, black-colored insects. First of all, reduce the watering of the plants so that the top layer of the earth has time to dry before the next watering. The soil attracts sciarids, where the process of decay or decomposition of organic fertilizers is actively underway.

Therefore, first of all, mosquitoes lay their eggs in pots with plants watered with mullein tinctures, bird droppings. It has also been observed that mushroom mosquitoes tend to appear when used for irrigation. dirty water: from an aquarium, tea leaves, water after washing meat products.

Initially, insects settle in pots with waterlogged substrate. With long and intensive reproduction, insects no longer pay attention to the dryness of the soil. If you lightly knock on a plant pot or shake the pot, and a flock of flies will fly up above the ground, this is a sign that there is a laying of eggs. In such a pot, it is better to immediately replace all the soil.

In the upper soil layer, you can see whitish, translucent larvae with a black head, up to 5 mm long, and in the thick of the roots - whitish granular formations that crumble if you squeeze them harder with your fingers - these are pupae or skins from pupae after the emergence of adults. If there are not many pests, then control measures are carried out without replanting a flower with flying individuals and larvae.

Flying insects are fought with the same means that are used to combat house flies: spraying plants with dichlorvos aerosols, fumigating the room (room) with raptor or fumitox plates, hanging adhesive sticky tapes for flies next to the plant, limiting the penetration of midges into the apartment using a mosquito net on windows and vents.

Attention!

A layer of fine expanded clay, gravel or coarse sand, decorative beads are poured over the soil in a pot, which quickly become dry after watering and deprive insects of the opportunity to lay eggs. To combat the larvae, the ground is watered with insecticides (agravertin, actara, actellik, decis, inta-vir, kinmiks, fitoverm) 2 times in 7 days.

After applying the insecticide, do not water the plants for 3-5 days. The larvae, if you water the soil with an insecticide, crawl to the surface. Or soil insecticides in granules of thunder 2, bazudin are introduced into the ground, but their action is slower. The drug crumbles thin layer on the ground, then mixed with the topsoil.

source: http://kvetky.net/

How to get rid of insects?

If you saw some midges in orchids, this is a reason to think. Such pests can cause slow flower growth and even provoke its death.

Therefore, it is imperative to take preventive measures to protect the plant from all insects, and after their appearance, orchids must be treated with special compounds.

What midges can get on orchids?

Midges in orchids

Where do midges appear in orchids? If small pests appear on your orchids, these are most likely:

• sciarids. Small black insects, which are most often found in the ground. Their size is 3-5 mm. Sciarid is also called flower midges, mushroom or fruit mosquitoes. The danger of these insects lies in the fact that they lay eggs in the soil, from which white worms 6-7 mm long are formed. They damage the roots of the plant, which provokes the development of putrefactive processes. As a result, the flower may die;
• whiteflies. These are small white midges that feed on juice from soft leaves plants. From this, the flower gradually dries and, as a result, dies. Whitefly larvae are also dangerous, which can be found on leaves, stems or in the soil. They can be recognized by their yellowish color;
• thrips. Their body is elongated, there are several stripes on the abdomen and a pair of wings. Thrips damage orchid leaves. Small holes form on their surface. The leaves themselves become white or silvery, and darken after a while. These insects can hide in the soil, but are most often found on the top of the orchid. Thrips eventually lead to the death of the plant;
• Drosophila (fruit flies). These are small flies that can be found on a pot or near a flower. They are harmless to the plant. The appearance of Drosophila signals improper care behind the orchid.

How to prevent the appearance of pests?

So that midges do not start on orchids, you need to follow these recommendations:

• clean the substrate for flowers from moss. It is an attractive environment for different types insects;
• for planting a flower, use a special substrate. It contains substances that are necessary for the normal growth of the plant;
• organize optimal watering. In summer, it should be carried out 2 times a week, and at other times of the year - 1 time;
• do not fertilize the soil with tea leaves, eggshell infusion or other non-traditional fertilizers;
• place the plant away from food waste, fruits and vegetables;

put on windows mosquito net. This will protect the flower from insects that may fly in from the street.

Method - how to get rid of insects

If midges have started on your flowers, you need to take some measures to remove these pests. This should be done until you completely get rid of insects. It is recommended to take the following measures:

• you can put sticky tape near the flower. Midges will gather on its surface. To attract insects, put a simple bait - a saucer of yellow water. Periodically replace the tape to finally remove all pests;
• try transplanting the orchid, completely replacing the entire substrate. In this case, it is recommended to rinse the roots under running water. Also carefully inspect the entire plant and remove rotten parts;
• use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Use this product to water as needed. Treat in this way for 1-2 months;
• to remove pests, wash the leaves of the plant under the shower. A jet of water will remove the insects. This must be done several times with a frequency of 3-4 days;
• use regular mustard powder. Sprinkle the dry mixture over the surface of the soil. Repeat the procedure several times every 5-6 days until these pests are completely gone;
• apply river sand. Before the procedure, bake it in the oven for several minutes. After that, sprinkle them on the surface of the soil. If the pests do not die after a few days, repeat the procedure;
• use matches. For one pot you need to take 5-6 pieces. Stick them head down into the ground and water as needed. When the sulfur dissolves, replace the matches.

Chemicals If less radical methods did not give a result, use special preparations against midges.

In the fight against sciarids, it is best to use drugs such as Raptor, Reid, Neodichlorvos.

The first of the means can be in the form:

• aerosol. It must be periodically applied to the plant until it is possible to get rid of all insects;
• a special device with liquid, which only needs to be connected to the network. Instead of a solution, plates can be used;
• aquafumigator. The active substance is distributed with the help of steam, which is formed after a chemical reaction with water.

Reid and Neodichlorvos is applied to leaves and flowers with an aerosol. Against the larvae, it is best to use Thunder-2 or Bazudin. They must be dissolved in water and applied to the surface of the soil according to the instructions.

Against the whitefly butterfly, the orchid must be treated with drugs such as Fury, Sherpa, Aktara or Aktellik. To get rid of thrips, you can use the same tools that have a wide spectrum of action. You need to process the flower 2-3 times every 10 days.

Orchid connoisseurs have a lot of these tropical flowers at home, which fascinate and amaze with their beauty. Unusual coloring and the complex structure of the bud is admirable. However, along with this, flower growers often begin to notice how the plant fades and stops blooming. Often the reason is the defeat of phalaenopsis orchids by insect pests, so their treatment with a photo will help to cope with the trouble quickly and without loss.

We offer to learn about pests attacking Phalaenopsis orchids

Phalaenopsis orchid pests live in the substrate, so it can be difficult to notice them with the naked eye. Many of them are microscopic in size, while others are quite large and dangerous. After purchasing a flower in a store, flower growers carry out a simple procedure, the purpose of which is to identify and destroy insects in the flowerpot.

To do this, lower the orchid into a container filled with filtered water. It is important that the liquid completely covers the flower pot. Insects deprived of the opportunity to breathe freely will make an attempt to get out of the water trap. Within 5-10 minutes, all the pests living in it will get out of the flowerpot, which are easy to catch and destroy.

Phalaenopsis orchid pests live in the substrate, so it can be difficult to notice them with the naked eye

Shchitovka - This is a pest that feeds on the juice of the Phalaenopsis orchid, thereby causing growth inhibition and the normal development of the flower. Scale insects, saturated with orchid juice, fill the cavity in the leaf with toxic substances that poison the plant, disrupt photosynthesis, which leads to the death of the leaf. False shields do not poison plants with toxic waste, but they secrete a sticky secret in which fungal infections multiply.

As you can see in the photo, the scale insect hides in small brown tubercles, which can be randomly attached to any part of the leaf. This is a female shield aphid, having developed a substance that resembles wax, laid eggs. Under 1 wax film there can be about 3 thousand eggs. The growth can be plucked from the leaf and seen with reverse side shield.

In the photo there is a false shield and a shield on an orchid

How to distinguish a shield from a false shield? Here are the main external differences between these pests, namely:

• shield has a convex shape, which is directly part of it;
• false shield - has a flat shield attached to the sheet and it is easily removed with a fingernail or needle.

After acquiring a flower, you need to carefully examine it for the presence of wax growths or sticky areas. However, this does not guarantee that they are absent from the orchid. The problem is that young insects are too small to be easily seen. Therefore, it is recommended that the purchased plant be quarantined for 15-20 days and periodically checked for the appearance of individuals.

Chervets- a white insect covered with fluff. As you can see in the photo, the mealybug has a long mustache, which is sometimes even longer than the length of the entire body. A worm from neighboring plants falls on the orchid, is brought in by a draft. Even if one individual fell on a flower, then soon it will multiply, forming entire settlements of fellows. As a result of his vital activity, the orchid begins to turn yellow, wilted leaves fall off. It is possible to attach a fungal infection, since spores of various fungi penetrate through the bite sites.

Pictured is a mealybug

Destroying the pest is not as easy as it seems, since it is small and hides in the most inaccessible places of the flower. Flower growers recommend performing the following procedures for effective control:

1. Remove missing leaves, pseudobulbs, scales.
2. Several times a day, carefully examine the Phalaenopsis orchid and catch all the beetles found.
3. Bite sites on orchid leaves should be washed with laundry soap and water.
4. 2-fold spraying with fitoverm is justified.
5. The whole plant should be washed regularly under running water at room temperature.
6. Quarantine measures are carried out within a month.

Phalaenopsis orchid: whitefly pest and fight against it, photo

Pictured is a whitefly pest

whitefly- this is a small butterfly with delicate wings, but despite its harmless appearance, it causes significant damage to the flower. It flies very fast and it can be difficult to slam it with your hands. The females lay their eggs under the bark in a flowerpot. The leaves are no exception, under which the whitefly can hide its offspring. It is not difficult to detect an insect, because it has a bright color and is easily noticeable against the background of dark green leaves. If you touch the shoots, then all the butterflies will take off with lightning speed.

Getting rid of whitefly is easy. The flower is washed in soapy water, treated twice with Aktelik, once a day the orchid is washed under running water.

The orchid is quite often attacked by various dangerous insects, andthripsamong them. The insect is very small, so the florist may not notice it for a long time. The body size of thrips is about 2 mm. However, they like to gnaw holes in leaves and roots from which they drink juice. Females lay their eggs in the same holes, and the leaf gradually fades and dries up. As shown in the photo, the hatched thrips larva looks like a transparent worm, which have good appetites and absorb orchid juice

Pictured are thrips

Three times spraying with fitoverm according to the instructions leads to positive results and allows you to completely destroy both the adult and the parent. During the week, the flower and the substrate are washed once a day in warm water.

A person can only see ticks when using a magnifying glass, as they are very small, as shown in the photo. However, the consequences of their sabotage activities are visible to the naked eye. The leaves wither, lose their attractiveness, fall off. If the orchid bloomed at the time of the tick attack, then the bud may not open, but most likely it will wither.

In the photo, the consequences of the defeat of an orchid by a tick

The usual spraying of a flower for the purpose of moisturizing is bad for the comfort of mites. You can wash the orchid with soapy water for several days. Spraying with insecticides will help not only protect the plant, but also kill ticks and their larvae.

In the photo springtail in the substrate of the flowerpot

Springtails- These are very small insects, painted in gray or Brown color. They start in flowerpots, as the substrate is a good habitat for them. According to flower growers, excessive watering contribute to the appearance of podura. When the colony has not multiplied to a huge number, there is enough food for all springtails, and the roots do not suffer. However, when favorable conditions they begin to lay eggs intensively. The hatched larvae love to devour the moss, providing the races included in the substrate, but when food is not enough, they are mistaken for the roots of orchids.

Preventive measures can prevent the reproduction of podura. It is recommended to moderately moisten the contents of the flowerpot. If you treat the flower with fitoverm, the springtails will die. A week later, it is recommended to repeat the treatment. When symptoms of damage appear, it is better to reduce the number of waterings.

Video about phalaenopsis orchid pests and their treatment:

Useful information about phalaenopsis orchid pests and their treatment with photos will help get rid of insects and worms that can start in a flowerpot or on the plant itself. Having provided the plant proper care, the florist may not worry too much about him. However, it will not be superfluous to learn about the most dangerous pests of luxurious phalaenopsis orchids.

Of the orchids, phalaenopsis are most often cultivated at home, and flower growers have to carefully study information about the fight against their diseases and pests. To correctly determine the symptoms of certain diseases or pest damage, it is worth examining the corresponding photos of phalaenopsis.

General information

Most often, phalaenopsis is affected by such types of pests as spider mite, mealybug, aphids, scale insects, as well as thrips.

Among the most common diseases of phalaenopsis and other orchids, it should be noted bacterial leaf spot, powdery mildew, sooty black mushrooms, as well as rot. It should be remembered that most orchid diseases are the result of adverse conditions their maintenance, as well as improper care.

Only knowing how to properly deal with diseases and pests of orchids, you can develop effective scheme plant protection.

Mealybug on orchids

Such a pest as a mealybug resembles a small, fluffy, rather strongly elongated lump of white color with long antennae. For any species of phalaenopsis, the mealybug is a significant danger. The reason for this is the rather high complexity of detecting this pest.

As a rule, the mealybug hides very deep in the junctions of the leaves of the plant. Often it hides on the underside of the orchid, near the base or in the basal part of the plant. The worm sucks all the juices out of indoor flower and exudes a floury liquid. Usually the pest becomes noticeable at the stage of almost complete death of the plant. In the photo of a plant affected by a worm, you can see lifeless, yellowing and drying leaves.

Standard pest control measures include the following procedures:

• cleaning plants from dry roots and leaves;
• regular inspection of all places where the pest can hide, followed by manual collection of detected insects;
• daily pest checks;
• treatment of affected plants with a solution of water and laundry soap;
• carrying out the processing of substrates with the preparation "Fitoverm".

Aphids on orchids

No less often, aphids settle on orchids. Pests themselves are not very scary for adults. strong plants, however, the excrement they secrete, which covers the leaves with a very sticky mass, does not allow the orchid to fully breathe. In addition, aphid secretions are an excellent breeding ground for various pathogenic fungi and bacteria.

Standard control measures for this pest are as follows:

• washing the leaves and stem of the plant with water and crushed laundry soap;
• treatment of the plant and substrate with a solution "Fitoverm" in accordance with the instructions supplied by the manufacturer of the drug.

The sooner the aphid is found on the plant and protective measures are taken, the more likely it is to restore health and blooming appearance to the orchid.

Mealybug on an orchid (video)

Shield on orchids

The family of scale insects is distinguished by its large number, and orchids are most often affected by such representatives of it as false shields and scale insects. Finding a false shield on a plant is not difficult. The scale insect forms characteristic tubercles on the stem part or leaves. These bumps are not very noticeable at first glance and look like part of the plant itself. The color of such areas can be from brownish to yellow.

The insect pest at the larval stage moves throughout the plant and sucks the juice from the stem part of the orchid with its proboscis. After some time, the larva is covered with a light brown shield. Both adults and larval stage insects use nutrients flower.

As a result of vital activity, the scale insect leaves a sticky viscous liquid on the plants, which is the optimal environment for the reproduction of diseases such as rot and fungus.

Standard methods of pest control involve the following activities:

• washing the affected plant;
• manual removal of remaining pests;
• treatment of orchids and substrate with a special solution based on "Fitoverma" or "Aktellika";
• re-spraying "Fitoverm" or Aktellik after seven or ten days;
• repotting an orchid into a new and clean planting substrate.

Spider mite on orchids

They are very common orchid pests. Photos of the tick can be seen on the websites of flower growers. As a rule, plants can be affected by a mite in a greenhouse or after purchase, already at home.

The three most famous and common varieties of ticks have minor differences among themselves. Regardless of the type of mites, the damage they inflict on the flower is identical. Ticks make punctures on the leaves of the plant, which can be seen as dots. As a result of the defeat, the leaves first acquire a white tint, and then completely discolor and subsequently dry out. Orchid buds do not open after being hit by a tick and fall off. You can observe the presence of a barely noticeable cobweb on the leaves.

Standard pest control measures should be implemented as soon as possible and include:

• manual collection of ticks from the plant, followed by a thorough washing of the flowerpot and the place where the flower pot stood;
• installing a flower pot with an orchid in a low container filled with water;
• spraying the plant and planting substrate with the Fitoverma solution, which is diluted according to the attached instructions, with re-treatment after seven days.

Nematode on orchids

Florists cultivating indoor orchids, should know that this plant can be affected by such dangerous pest like a nematode. Outwardly, nematodes are small white worms. They penetrate into the stem part and root system indoor flower. Sucking out plant juices, the pest poisons phalaenopsis with waste products. Affected orchids may stop growing and then rot and die. To get rid of the pest, it is recommended to spill the substrate with preparations "Decaris"

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At the beginning, damage is barely noticeable, then pale yellow spots appear on the leaves, the leaves dry out and twist. Against the background of damage, a fungal infection quickly develops: the spots become black. Blackening of the leaves leads to the rapid death of the orchid.

shell mite

Shell mites, or oribatids, are better visible than spider mites: on the surface of the leaves or near the stem, quickly moving small dark dots or balls are visible. In the photo, the spider and shell mites are easy to distinguish.

These mites feed on dead leaves of plants, algae, moss and, with enough food, do not harm the orchid. When the population grows, they can feed on young shoots and damage them. Yellow, brown, whitish spots appear on the leaves. The edges of the damage are pulled together, which leads to deformation of the sheet. With a large number of spots, the leaf dies.

Shell mites prefer moist soil, and are more likely to live near orchids with thick leaves. Females lay motile grayish or brown larvae that persist and grow in the soil.

The root mite on the orchid is less common than other types of mites. But these pests can cause irreparable damage to the plant and even cause the death of the flower.

Small, about 1 mm long mites gnaw through passages in the root system of orchids. Grooves remain in the roots of the plant, filled with a white substance resembling flour. With a large scale of damage, nutrition is disrupted and the plant dies.

How to deal with mites on an orchid?

To successfully fight a tick, you need to find out why they multiplied quickly:

• Spider mites are comfortable in dry environments. effective measure The fight against spider mites on orchids is high humidity. The plant is treated with a soapy solution of water, watered well and placed in a plastic bag for 3 days. In this case, you need to carefully monitor that the flower does not suffer from high temperature and humidity inside the package.
• Shell mites, on the other hand, prefer moist soil. But you do not need to dry the plant, it is enough to transplant it to a new place, after washing and treating the roots chemicals(Aktellik, Neoron). So that ticks no longer multiply, it is selected optimal mode glaze.
• The appearance of root mites indicates the need to transplant the orchid to a fresh substrate. Before transplanting, the roots of the plant are thoroughly washed under running warm water. All damaged areas are removed, and the defects are sprinkled with activated charcoal or cinnamon.

How else to get rid of a spider mite on an orchid, because these arachnids are extremely tenacious? In the fight against them, you can also use chemicals (Fitoferm, Neoron), but the funds must often be alternated. Damage sites can also be treated with alcohol or a decoction of cyclamen tubers.

Orchids are the most beautiful flowers that have won the favor of flower growers since the century before last. They delight with their beauty in gardens, flower beds, greenhouses and rooms. For their health and beauty, it is necessary to carefully monitor the conditions in which they grow.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid trouble. Everyone is affected by pests, the occurrence of which often comes as a surprise and leads to disastrous consequences.

You can get rid of the shield insecticides in combination with the treatment of foliage with a special green soap.

After therapeutic measures, the orchid is transplanted into a new substrate.

Important! After sanitation, in order to avoid relapses, the soil and the rest of the plant are washed with running water.

Black dots and a silvery film appear on the foliage when affected by thrips. Since insects are very active at night, it is easy to spot them at this time of day. The eggs of the bugs are laid in the inner part of the leaf plate, and the larvae that hatch feed on the greens, causing the plant to wither and lose its brightness. The leaves turn brown and may even fall off.

The danger threatens not only the leaves, but also the flowers, on which black dots and large dry patches also appear along the edges of the flower.

The orchid should be treated with insecticidal preparations. For prevention, they carefully monitor the cleanliness of the sheet and repeat the treatment after 7 days.

Nematodes are roundworms small size, which in adulthood are no more than 2 mm in length. Infection occurs through water, which is irrigated, through a new substrate, as well as from plant to plant.

There are 3 types of nematodes:

• root nematodes;
• stem nematodes;
• leaf nematodes.

You can get rid of this type of pests by starting with quarantine. In a pharmacy, an antihelminthic is purchased, for example, levamisole of the minimum dosage and diluted in 1 liter of water. Soak in this solution for 15-20 minutes. In order to get rid of the rudimentary forms of worms, the treatment is repeated after 4 weeks.

Important! Ineffective treatment and lack of quarantine will destroy the plant, therefore, if nothing worked out the first time, then it is best to sacrifice one orchid than the entire flower garden.

worms

Mealybugs feed on the leaves, sucking out their juices, which is very harmful to photosynthesis and the life of the beauty. The habitat of these pests: under leaves, under scales or other shelters. The worms have a white coating, a ribbed body and an elongated shape.

The main sign of damage by a mealybug is whitish dust, similar to flour, covering the plant. The masonry looks like cotton balls.

Before you start fighting the worms, you need to bring full order in upper layers flower soil, thus getting rid of the pest's natural hiding places. The flower is treated several times with Actara (1.2 ml of the drug per 1 liter of water) so that these unpleasant pests of orchids die.

Prevention - flower hygiene. Harmful insects cannot adapt to an environment without places to hide.

Ticks

There are many varieties of these pests. The most common are: spider mite, root mite, flat mite, red phalaenopsis mite. Ticks are characterized by yellow, red or grey colour, their larvae are green.

Leaves affected by mites turn white and fall off after a while. In addition, the orchid loses all the color of the pseudobulb, which is covered with cobwebs. At the same time, pseudobulbs lose their main function - the accumulation of nutrients.

It is necessary to treat the orchid with acaricidal agents several times. The soil can be changed, the flower is also “bathed” under running water every day for a week or the leaves are wiped.

Required drugs

In this article, we talked about how to deal with orchid pests and described the main ones.

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