Orchid pests: treatment
There are many who want to feast on the delicate orchid. They are able to instantly destroy the fruits of your labors. The most dangerous and frequent pests of orchids are scale insects, aphids and mealybugs. If you want to preserve your flower, you will have to study the signs of the appearance of these insects and methods of dealing with them.
Dangerous pest of orchids – scale insect
The sign of the scale insect is the bumps and growths on the plant. The pest comes due to the excessively high temperature, so move the orchid to a cooler room before starting treatment.
Orchid pests are usually caused by improper care
Rinse the flower under water and use a small brush to remove any visible pests. Spray the plant with Fitoverma solution. Re-spray after 10 days. During this time, pack the orchid daily for 15 minutes to create a greenhouse effect. Isolate it from other flowers during treatment so that they do not get infected.
Aphid orchid pest treatment
If you notice tiny dark or light green colored beetles on the inside of the young leaves, it’s aphid. She drinks juices from the orchid and injects a poisonous substance into it, which destroys the flower. Aphids appear if the air is too dry or you do not water the orchid enough.
For treatment, use one of the folk remedies:
- 1 tbsp. l. liquid soap or shower gel for 1 liter of water;
- chopped onion, drenched in boiling water;
- infusion of citrus peels.
Use any of the described remedies to spray the orchid until it is completely recovered.
If the soil, roots, or the inner walls of the pot are covered with a cottony bloom, then you have mealybugs. Lift up the plaque and you can see the insects and their eggs. These pests start on orchids weakened by improper care. Those flowers that are overfed with nitrogen are especially at risk.
First, spray the plant with Fitoverma solution. Repeat spraying after 7 days. Inspect the orchid daily, remove each pest with a cotton swab and treat the place where it sat, treat it with a mild soapy solution.
The treatment can be considered successful if within a month you have not found a single new bug.
If you don’t want to use chemistry, try traditional methods of dealing with mealybugs. Dissolve in 1 liter of water 2 tbsp. l. olive oil and sprinkle the flower with this mixture. You can also spray with a mixture of 1 liter of water, 10 ml of alcohol and 15 ml of liquid soap.
Now you are familiar with insects that damage orchids. When you find them, start treatment without delay. This is the only way you can save the plant.