I just hit them with a couple shots of Avid but I need to buy some more
(just noticed some damage on the phals upstairs too). I think that's around
$100 for 8 oz. I got a little bit (1/2oz.?) in a group order from another
plant society I was in last year. Some of the miticides run $200-$300 a
bottle. I think I have some Pentac that a friend gave me around here
somewhere. I think the Pentac knocked down the population last year. I
really need to get better about spraying several applications to make sure I
get all of them.

I can see spider mites on plants without a magnifying glass. I don't really
see webs on the catasetums but the bugs look like the spider mites I've seen
on some of our other houseplants. I guess if I did look at them with a
magnifier then maybe I could look up some mite pics on the web and verify
what they are.

If Kenni has a recommendation for current miticides I'd like to hear it.

-danny


"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
...
Danny,

Which miticide do you use? Last spring, I noticed flower and leaf damage
on our Phals, and also fine spider webs. Couldn't see anything, even with
a mag glass, and a "white paper test" was inconclusive. I assumed spider
mites. (I know - assumptions. But what else can one do?)

What I used was 2 Tb. dish soap + 2 Tb. cooking oil/gal water as a drench,
twice. Seemed to work, but I'm seeing some patches again. Kenni mentioned
a heavy duty miticide which kills the up and comers as well as the adults.
Very pricey. Kenni, are you out there?

Diana

"danny" wrote in message
.. .
I get yellow chlorosis on quite a few of my thinner-leaved phals, without
any other symptoms. Anyone know what may cause that? It doesn't seem to
seriously harm the plant. I also get silvery areas with collapsing tissue
on the bottoms and bases of leaves of all types of phals, which tends to
stop progressing if I hit them with miticides, so I assume that is just
mite damage (which mites hit the phals? I can't see them. They must be a
lot smaller than the spider mites on the catasetums.)

-danny