Pests on orchids from A-Z with pictures

sticky drops on the orchid flower panicle

table of contents

Pest infestation
Typical signs
Pests
Woodlice
Aphids
Red spider
Snails
Thrips
Sciarid gnats
Mealybugs and mealybugs

Orchids are considered sensitive plants and require good, correct care. But even the best handling of the plant will hold up Pests does not necessarily prevent them from infecting them. Plantopedia will explain to you which parasites are typical of orchids and how they are combated.

Pest infestation

There is an optimal location, perfect lighting and sufficient moisture, but your orchid still looks sick? Then a pest infestation can be to blame. If this remains undetected and untreated, in many cases not only does your plant die, but all neighboring plants are endangered. Immediate action is essential. In the following you will find out everything about possible parasites, how they recognize them and which methods of control are effective.

Phalaenopsis is native to the Philippines — Phalaenopsis-Orchid

Typical signs

In most cases, hobby gardeners and orchid lovers do not react in time when there is a pest infestation. After all, yellow leaves and less growth also occur in healthy plants. This way of thinking can be fatal for the orchid and, in the worst case, for other nearby plants as well. It is therefore important that you recognize special characteristics and can associate a pest infestation with them.

This is the case when:

falling leaves if it's more than a week or two
blooming flowers fall off prematurely
yellow or withering leaves
dying shoots
Growth disorders of the plant and flowers
Spots on or under the leaves
Holes in the leaves or on the edges of the leaves
Plant loses stability - stems and flowers lean downwards
sticky parts of plants
white or silvery webs on the plant parts, especially in the leaf area
white, brown or black spots on the parts of the plant, which could be the parasites

TIP: If you care for your orchids well and regularly, you should always examine them for the characteristics mentioned. In this way, they can detect pests at an early stage and, ideally, prevent major damage.

First aid

If a pest infestation is suspected, the plant must be isolated from others immediately. It does not matter whether you have already recognized the malware correctly. Don't waste unnecessary time on isolation. Your other plants will thank you. In most cases, the first thing to do is to take a strong shower. Many types of pests fall off the plant parts here and another treatment is needed maybe no longer necessary if the infestation was minor and you recognized it early on to have.

Pests

There are innumerable pests, but not all of them use orchids as a source of food. Most pests prefer certain plants, so there are typical pest species for the Orchidaceae as well. This basically reduces the scope of possible pests and you can identify them more quickly so that you can start fighting them quickly.

In general, pests also tend to attack neighboring plants if these are their preferred food sources. Since they usually multiply rapidly, they can spread extremely and destroy entire flower landscapes if you do nothing about them. Therefore the expert's tip: act immediately.

Woodlice

You can recognize isopods quite well and fight them effectively.

Plant symptoms:

pitted roots
seldom young shoots and flowers
early stage of wilting
restricted growth
Buds do not open
Flowers fall off without wilting

Recognize:

black to dark brown elongated animals with seven legs
Legs are usually glassy to whitish
behind two short "feelers"
longer antennae in front
shell armor laid out in a row
Size from 0.3 millimeters
like to be in dark areas
eat green leaves, but mainly dead plant parts
Eating damage resembles that of snails
They are also found in the ground, where they can eat away at the tips of the roots

Combat:

So far, there is no reliable remedy for woodlice that does not damage an Orchidaceae. Because woodlice actually do not like the special planters of orchids and only because of the food intake going inside, a good way to combat it is to swap it out for one that she likes stop. Place the pot without a cachepot next to a damp cloth that is on a piece of apple or potato. If they are full for the moment, they will be drawn there and you can collect the parasites.

Alternatively, a potato slice is placed directly on the substrate or around the culture pot, effectively. Here, too, they collect around it so that they can be easily collected. However, this method takes longer than the previous one.

Aphids

Aphids multiply relatively quickly and like to migrate from plant to plant, so that neighboring pests can happen quickly. Isolate the plant immediately and act according to the first aid principle.

Plant symptoms:

sticky leaves
stunted or curled leaves
Buds fall off unopened
Flowers fall off without wilting

Recognize:

mostly present in colonies
sit here and there under the leaves
Colonies can usually be seen on the stems and shoots
Color from reddish brown to brown and black
Length of up to seven millimeters
winged and winged shapes possible
have a proboscis
prefer shady sides of the plant

Combat:

It is particularly important in this case to spray the infected plant immediately with a harder jet of water. But you will not be able to remove all aphids by doing this. Stubborn and visible specimens can also be removed with your fingers by wiping off the affected parts of the plant between your thumb and forefinger. Otherwise, special insecticides help against lice, which, however, place a high burden on the orchid. More recommendable are ecological control measures, which have been shown to be just as effective in countless practical tests.

Nettle broth:

Put about two hands full of nettles in a bucket
Add two liters of cold water
Let the mixture steep for at least twelve hours
Sieve the nettles
Fill the brew into a spray bottle and spray the plant dripping wet every day
do not leave out any part of the plant
after a week all aphids should have died

Red spider

silvery speckles on the underside of the leaves
yellow leaves
increased leaf waste
reduced forcing growth

Recognize:

elliptical body shape
eight-legged
rear part of the body tapering to a point
colored light green, orange or pewter red
Size up to 0.6 millimeters
often seen on young leaves and shoots

Combat:

Before resorting to chemical control, you should use the more environmentally friendly and plant-friendly method. Beneficial insects such as ladybirds are an effective measure, but difficult to carry out in living spaces. The following method is more suitable here.

Take the plant out of the pot
Spray Orchidaceae well with lukewarm water
Place in a translucent, transparent plastic film or bag
close airtight
Open / remove the bag / foil after about three to four days
the red spider should have died due to the high humidity

Snails

Snails usually only attack orchids when they spend the summer season outdoors. Nevertheless, the possible damage is then no less great. The slimy animals are easy to recognize. Usually it is the nudibranchs without houses that eat the plants. As a rule, everyone has already seen them, so identification should be easy. However, if it remains undetected, the plant symptoms help identify snails as possible pests.

Plant symptoms:

fringed leaf margins
Holes in the leaf flesh
pitted flowers
silvery traces of slime
Plant damage usually begins at the bottom and continues evenly upwards
often young plants and fresh parts of plants affected
Flower wilts for no reason
increasingly loses its grip and can be easily pulled out

Combat:

The snail is a stubborn pest for which numerous control products are available. However, many of them do not help. However, the following measures are effective.

Picking up and collecting the snails (early in the morning and in the evening)
Place cucumber slices around the plant
Lay out slug pellets (caution poisonous)
Sprinkle the leaves with coffee beans every day for a week
Distribute the coffee grounds on the substrate
rosemary and thyme keep snails at bay

Thrips

malformed flowers
stunted flower shapes
young leaves deform
brown spots on the leaves
silvery punctures on the leaves
black dots on parts of plants (feces)
growth disorders with increasing infestation

Recognize:

black-brown insects
white to light yellow larvae on the underside of the leaves
elongated physique
fringed wings

TIP: If you put a blue plaque in the planter, you will attract these pests and you will be able to spot them easily. This does not work with other pests, so you can be sure that you have a Thirpse infestation.

Combat:

Shower the orchid quickly and thoroughly
Don't forget the underside of the leaves
Twist the plant in a transparent film or put it in a plastic bag
Close airtight as much as possible
remove the foil / bag after three to four days
Thirps should have died
repeat the process if necessary

Sciarid gnats

In the continuously moist substrate of orchids, fungus gnats in particular feel at home. There it pulls itself into the substrate, where it eats the roots. Now the best conditions for a fungal attack are given, whereby they themselves are “only” simply annoying, but do not cause any further damage that would lead to the death of the plant. Only a fungal infection can weaken the plant so much that it is no longer viable.

Plant symptoms:

significant growth reduction
Buds do not open

Recognize:

Size: up to seven millimeters
are often confused with fruit flies
dark gray to black color
black head
Flying in a zigzag
full-length wings
white dots on the substrate (deposited eggs)
elongated white insects in the substrate (larvae)

Combat:

When fighting, you need to follow two steps to reliably get rid of the eggs, as well as larvae, and to control the adult sciarid gnats so that they cannot lay new eggs.

Repotting:

It is important to repot the orchid in new, fresh and loose substrate. The roots have to be meticulously cleared of all substrate residues. If you don't have new soil to hand, you can disinfect the used one in the oven. Proceed as described below.

Preheat the oven to 100 degrees
Spread the earth well on a heat-resistant surface
Put the soil in the preheated oven for half an hour
then let it cool down again to room temperature
Plant the plant back into the substrate

Yellow stickers:

So-called yellow stickers, which are available from specialist retailers, have a limited effect. They are put into the substrate. They are equipped with glue to which at least the larvae and flies stick to it. If the yellow sticker is full, insert a new one. The procedure takes a little patience if the fungus gnat has spread well. Otherwise, the yellow sticker is an ecological method without any poisonous additives.

Nicotine:

Combating with nicotine has proven to be very effective. If you and no other household member are a smoker, ask your friends about collecting smoked cigarette scraps. The nicotine does not harm orchids. Proceed as described below.