Go to your local Home Depot or Lowes and read the label on the "Bayer
Advanced" formulas, as they contain Merit.

I use the "12 Month Tree & Shrub Insect Control" at one ounce per gallon. I
prefer it to some of the other formulas, as they have other ingredients I
don't want.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!


"W. Clinton Terry" wrote in message
.. .
I spent some time today looking through the Internet for purchasing sources
for these chemicals and visited my local nursery. Is there an online place
to purchase either of these chemicals at a reasonable cost. That is of
course relative, but the quantities that my nursery has will last a life
time and then some. I only have a small number of plants that are
problems, about 15, and just want to try these things out. Unfortunately,
I suppose, I get attached to my plants, particularly when I have had them
for awhile.

Clinton


"Ray B" wrote in message
news:WRLmh.1888$SQ1.301@trnddc03...
If it's a systemic like acephate (Orthene) or imidicloprid (Merit), it
will be absorbed with no damage to the plant.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!


"W. Clinton Terry" wrote in message
.. .
I had thought about that too. I have not dipped the whole plant as yet,
but if I do, I will figure out how to hold it upside down so that the
roots do not get immersed.

I have been also thinking about a systemic pesticide as thse critters
seem to be coming from the inside out. I do not know what the effect
would be on the roots, however.

Clinton
"Ray B" wrote in message
news:uaqmh.2476$NO5.1839@trndny01...
Mix one teaspoon each of cooking oil and liquid soap in a quart of
water, and spray the entire plant. The soap both emulsifies the oil
and breaks down the waxy coating on some insects, while the oil
smothers them.

I recommend against immersing roots in oils, as the velamen can trap
the oil too well, potentially suffocating them.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!


"W. Clinton Terry" wrote in message
...
There is an orchid nursery near where I live and I have been
developing a relationship with them. You know, buy something and talk
and talk and talk. What they suggested, and I showed them the plant,
was to take the whole plant and immerse it in the oil spray I am
using. I have not done that because of the quantity I would have to
mix up, but I may still. In your case, wehre the insects are hard to
get at, perhaps this is a solution, particularly if you do not want to
loose the plant.

"K Barrett" wrote in message
...
What I worry about is that some sort of small sucking insect is
sucking into the leaf and allowing the sap to drain out. I usually
notice small sappy droplets or dried sugar sap along the midrib or
the edge of the leaf. Sure enough if I turn the leaf over there'll
be a scale on the underside, or in a few days there'll be a scale at
the leaf margin. Sometimes my first indication of trouble is (like
you did) by seeing sappy 'spray' on the windowsill when I clean up
the kitchen. (No comments about my house cleaning, now! *G*) Then
I'll have to treat the plant with something or other until its gone.

Usually I'm one of those 'better living thru chemistry' kind of
people. I usually like to use some sort of a perticide in order to be
sure. I usually don't like just dabbing away with alcohol, because I
believe these are sly, conniving little critters that, just when you
thik they're gone, they come back, usually with a vengeance and in
places that are a real pain in the neck to get rid of them - like
amongst the roots or under the p/bulb sheathes. Talk about a pain!

But you are right. The sap comes practically from out of nowhere.
Then blammo! A few days later you see the adult and have to treat.
Slow going indeed. My paphs have mealy bug down in the bark, down
amongst the dried old leaves and along the roots and everytime I
think I have a handle on them they come back. Frustrating. I'm about
to toss the lot of them.

K Barrett
"W. Clinton Terry" wrote in message
.. .
This sticky stuff, if left along will eventually cover most of the
leaf. I first noted it because it had dripped onto tile floor. I was
walking around one day in bare feet. I hae not used malathion, but
have used the Ortho oil spray to smother them. The seem to come
back. I will try the alcohol. What has puzzled me is that the sap
seems to come from nowhere...from just a tiny pore in the leave. In
any event, it is very slow going.

Clinton


"K Barrett" wrote in message
. ..
I think there are 2 kinds of scale. The harder outer shell ones,
usually dark brown, and the softer whiter colored ones. (I think
these are called boisduvial scale). I believe the pattern of
noticing the sap with progression to later seeing the adults at the
leaf edges or in the leaf axils is pretty typical for these insects.
Treat with any pesticide that kills scale. I used to use Malathion,
but I believe that is slowly being pulled from the market (at least
here in California) I've used plain old 70% isopropyl alcohol and a
toothbrush, to kill the adults then wiped any suspect areas for the
next few weeks to be sure the eggs, larvae are gone, as long as it
was only one plant and isolated away from my main collection (like a
phal on the kitchen window insrtead of in the GH.) There are a few
good newer pesticides on the market (made by Bayer here in teh US)
that should kill them off, too. I confess when I look for those I
have to stand in the aisle at the nursery, seemingly for hours,
reading the small print until I find the one I want. Am I the only
one or does Bayer's product names all sound the same to everyone
else, too?

K Barrett

"W. Clinton Terry" wrote in message
.. .
I have a couple of palenopsis that are secreting a sticky substance
from the middle of their leaves. It something like tree sap. If
left alone, eventually some scale like insects appear on the edge
of the leaves. There may be no relationship between these insects
and the secretion. Unlike other scale with which I am familiar,
these appear wet. When you crush them there is a lot of moisture
involved. Other scales I have seen and treated are dry and harder.
Can anyone give me an idea what is happening. I have sprayed with
an Ortho Oil spray to no avail.

Thanks for any assistance you might be able to provide.

Clinton Terry