How To Best Deal With Mealy Bugs?

by Sam
(United States)

What is the best way to get rid of mealy bugs? My Phals. have had such an outbreak a friend who raises orchids said to use Bayer's rose spray which I find doesn't realy work but I find that insectidal soap works great. He also said I should repot them I have at least 18-20 plants can't repot all so what do you suggest I so to stop this outbreak.

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Jun 27, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		My Solution for How to Get Rid of Mealy Bugs.
by: Melissa

I have good success with Bayer's Advanced Rose and Flower Insect Killer and tend to use this insecticide as my last resort. I, too, have had a bad problem with mealy bug in quite a lot of my orchids. But I am winning !!!

I find that insecticidal soap works great as well. I use both the Bayer's and insecticidal soap and tend to use the soap first as I like to try for less toxic solutions first but often find the Bayer's to be more effective. I do have to treat the plants repeatedly as the eggs of the insects hatch and the eggs are not effected by either the Bayers or the Safer soap.

Repotting would be a really good idea but I get that you can not do them all. Maybe find the plant that has it the worst and repot it. Make sure you look in all the nooks and crannys and in the bracts. And expect to have to treat it repeatedly as the eggs will continue to hatch.

Being watchful and attentive to pests is the best way to go.

For those of you with a lot of plants one tip is to mark the plants that have problems. I use purple plant stakes so I remember when I am watering that there is "something" about that particular plant that I need to be more attentive to and the purple stake reminds me.

With pesticides I have also used a granular form of Imidacloprid which is the active ingredient in the Bayer's Advanced Rose and Flower Insect Killer. It is by a company called Bonide and it is called Systemic Houseplant Insect Control. Not all states in the United States have this product and it is not registered for use for all of the things it lists on the label in some of these states but it is in a granular form and systemic so I am finding it useful.

Good luck,

Melissa
www.orchids-plus-more.com


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