Control pests on orchids

Orchids can be found in many households. Often, however, they are not granted a very long life. One possible reason for this are pests such as lice, which can sometimes weaken the plants unnoticed for a long time. As annoying as the vermin is, in most cases it can be combated with simple means and measures. We reveal which paths are possible.

Controls

One of the most important measures against pest infestation on the orchid and necessary for early control is regular control of the plant. Even if the parasites themselves are not always visible, changes can be noticed. To do this, however, you have to look very carefully. The undersides of the leaves, narrow spaces between leaves and shoots and the substrate must be checked. Eggs, discolored sucking points or punctual changes can be noticed as well as coverings and weaving.
Tip: The orchid should be examined carefully when buying it so as not to introduce any vermin or diseases. Because these can also occur in well-kept nurseries.

Culture

An important protection against pests on orchids is the coordinated care, which of course has to be based on the orchid species and its requirements. Incorrect temperatures or insufficient humidity are often beneficial factors for pest infestation. In addition to checking the plant, the culture conditions should therefore also be checked from time to time. Particular attention should be paid to the following factors:

• Location, including temperature and light conditions
• Pouring behavior
• fertilization
• humidity

Substrate

Some pests, such as mealybugs, can stay in the substrate for long periods and are therefore not noticeable during controls. If they become active again, they usually appear surprisingly and in large numbers. As a result of this retreat into the earth, however, they are not only difficult to spot, but also difficult to combat. The substrate should therefore be changed after a pest infestation. A regular replacement of the soil is also a preventive measure, as the old substrate also removes any vermin and eggs that may be present.

lice

The most common pests on orchids are lice. These include the aphids and scale insects belonging to the plant lice, such as the mealybug or the mealybug. In many cases, due to their small size, they are not immediately noticeable. The infestation only becomes visible when damage has already occurred. Then quick and thorough action is required to eliminate the vermin and prevent further spread.
aphid
Aphids can be green or black and feed on the sap they suck from leaves and shoots. The consequences are punctual discoloration at the sucking points and a weakening of the orchid. Since the aphids secrete so-called honeydew, they attract other insects and also increase the risk of a fungal infection. Early control is therefore important. To do this, proceed as follows:

1. The aphids are first removed mechanically by wiping them with a damp kitchen towel or scraping them off with a fingernail.

2. The infected orchid is sprayed or brushed with a soft soap solution. The solution is supposed to kill overlooked parasites and also remove the sticky residue.

3. After an exposure time of ten minutes, the plant is rinsed off thoroughly. In addition, the substrate should be changed.

Scale insect
Mealybugs and mealybugs count among the scale insects and become noticeable when they are infested with cotton-wool-like or woolly weaves and greasy coverings. The weaves and waxy droppings act as protection for the lice, which can make it difficult to remove from the orchid. The easiest choice is therefore an appropriate pesticide from a specialist store. This should be oil-free so that it does not clog the pores of the plant. A natural alternative to this is bringing out Australian ladybirds. However, these require a warm, humid environment, which cannot always be achieved.
Two home remedies have also proven effective for eliminating the pests. The plant can be soaked in lukewarm water for about half an hour, to which a splash of commercially available detergent has been added beforehand. The surface tension changes due to the detergent and the lice drown.

A bit more aggressive and therefore not suitable for sensitive orchids, is the use of a spirit-washing-up liquid or spirit-soft soap solution. Ten milliliters of alcohol and detergent or soft soap are added to each liter of water. With a brush, the solution is then applied specifically to the areas infested by scale insects. After an exposure time of ten to 30 minutes, the solution is rinsed off thoroughly. When combating scale insects, the substrate must also be changed urgently in order to remove the parasites that are in it.

Mites

Real and false spider mites can be problematic for the orchid as they multiply quickly and damage the leaves and shoots. The pests are also difficult to detect due to their size of less than a millimeter. Signs of an infestation can be webs, but these are not formed by all spider mites. A silvery discoloration of the leaves is also a possible indication. You can find out more by wiping the top and bottom of the leaf with a white sheet of paper or cloth. If colored dots appear on it, the mites have been wiped off. Unfortunately, this test is not sufficient to combat the pests.
This is possible with the spider mites by:

• Rinse regularly, not soaking the plant
• Targeted increase in humidity
• Use of pesticides containing neem oil
• Spreading of predatory mites

Running water is important because the spider mites keep themselves alive when immersed through air sacs. However, the measure must be repeated daily and even then not all pests are usually removed. An alternative or additional way to combat it is to increase the humidity in a targeted manner. For this purpose, the orchid is rinsed or sprayed and then wrapped with foil, placed under a hood or in a greenhouse. The pests usually die within a few days. To avoid mold and rot, the plant should be rinsed daily and the substrate should be changed after the treatment. In addition, coverage should not be for more than three days.
If the treatments are inadequate, pesticides with neem oil can be used. Compared to other preparations, the spider mites do not seem to have developed any resistance to this. Another natural alternative are predatory mites of the genus Phytoseiulus persimilis. These are predators of the spider mites. So you eliminate the pests very directly, but do not injure or burden the orchid.

Sciarid gnats

The adult fungus gnats are visually reminiscent of fruit flies and rise from the substrate and leaves when disturbed. They are not a direct threat to the orchid - but their larvae can cause lasting damage to the plant, as they feed on roots, among other things.
If fungus gnats are noticed, both the adult insects and the larvae must be eliminated. This is possible through the following measures:

1. Remove and replace substrate or heat through in the oven or microwave. A nice side effect of heating is that any other pests and germs that may be present are also killed. However, replacing sciarid gnats is usually the better choice, as the larvae not only feed on roots, but also on humus.

2. While changing the soil, the roots should be rinsed and damaged sections removed if they are withered. The interfaces should be allowed to dry for a few hours before they are put back into the substrate. This reduces the risk of rot and invading germs.

3. Yellow boards or appropriate sticky traps are set up for any fungus gnats that may still be on the plant or in the vicinity.

Tip: If the infestation is very light, it may be sufficient to set up only traps. The adult fungus gnats are eliminated and can no longer lay eggs. However, it is necessary to leave the traps on the plants for several weeks or months so that they do not spread again.

Springtails

They are up to five millimeters tall, white and, true to their name, attract attention with their jumping, hopping movements. The pests on the orchid are often noticeable when watering, as they are driven out of the substrate by the water and gather on the surface.
Fighting root pests is very simple and does not take much time:

1. The root ball, together with the pot and substrate, is immersed in water in a bucket or bowl to which a splash of detergent has been added.

2. The springtails are washed to the surface by the water, the detergent changes the surface tension and thus leads to drowning of the pests. After an hour, all parasites should be eliminated.

3. So that the orchid does not suffer from the detergent or is overwatered by the washing, the substrate should be completely changed.

Changing the soil immediately without soaking it is usually not enough, as it will Springtails and their eggs are still at the roots and thus merge into the new substrate can.