Cooking oil works well, too. I like it because of the vegetable nature of
it and its simpler degradability.

Jerry's comment about the oil damaging plants if they're too hot is a good
one. I believe it helps intensify the sun's rays or something. Remember
using baby oil as a teenager to make yourself tan faster?

The warning is applicable to the use of all oils, whether mineral, neem or
other vegetable-based, or even the solvents in insecticides like Orthenex.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Jerry Hoffmeister" wrote in message
news:bomva.806495$L1.230070@sccrnsc02...
Sunspray works great, seems to kill just about anything including scale.
Works by smothering the buggers Someone in my local OS suggested using
mineral oil (buy it for 50 cents or so a bottle at your local drug store)
instead of Sunspray (it's expensive and a bit stinky) which I've been
using
lately w/o any adverse effects that I can see yet and it still seems to
kill
scale at least. I do mix it at the 2.5 TBSP per gallon rate and I throw
in
some safer soap (usually at 1/2 the label rate just because I'm cheap)
mostly as a spreader / sticker.

The only problem I've seen is if you spray it on such that it doesn't dry
before the leaves get hot, you'll get some leaf burn especially on the
thin
leaved species (Lycaste's, etc). I try to spray on cloudy days, in the
evening or very early in the AM (ha, right).

The lacewing suggestion should work as well but you'll have to be
patient...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
Hi, All,

Have discovered (and had verified by the Terminix guy) white fly in the
grow
area. My husband has some veggie plants in the area, and it started
there.
Very little evidence of infestation on the orchids thus far, and I want
to
keep it that way.

On the veggies we used Sunspray Ultrafine Pesticidal Oil (98.8%
paraffinic
oil + an emulsifier). The label says okay for orchids, and recommends a
solution of 2 1/2 tablespoons to a gallon of water. That seems pretty
heavy. Anyone used this or a similar preparation? Any other tips on
control of white fly?

Meanwhile, I'm on my way to the archives.

Diana