Thank you so much for your advice. I will spray the orchids right away and
they will be completely dry before the sun hits them in the morning. Glad to
hear that I am not killing them together with the scale.

Now about scale being evil, I can think of few more things WAY more evil
than scale, but since they won't let me use bug killer on, say, people, I
think we best don't go there. After all, this is the orchid board...
Maggie's Mom.


"tenman" wrote in message
news:49GdnYbnGYM2CIrVnZ2dnUVZ_rWtnZ2d@wideopenwest .com...
Maggie's Mom wrote:
Yesterday I've noticed SCALE parasites on couple of my orchids. I've seen
scale on my ferns, but that was killed off by Bayer Dual Action Rose and
Flower Insect Killer.

It is very effective on scale, most effective of everything I used so
far. Can I possibly use it on orchids (phals, cattleyas, dendrobium) w/o
damaging plants? Has anybody in this group used commercial bug sprays on
their orchids without damaging them?

Thanks for your input, - Maggie's Mom.
I googled the product and the active ingredients are Beta-cyfluthrin:
0.0015% Imidacloprid: 0.012%. The first is a synthetic pyrethroid, and the
second is more commonly known by a trade name, Merit. Pyrethrins of
various sorts have been used on orchids for years and so has Merit. I
haven't heard of any damage to plants form them, though damage to current
inflorescences or those currently developing is always a possibility when
chemicals are used, but that's sometimes a small price to pay for saving
the plant. The only thing you need to worry about, IMHO, is the inactive
ingredient, probably a petroleum-based product. Spraying very early before
ths sun is on the plants and when it's cooler or later in the evening when
the same conditions prevail is best to avoid burning - the oil solvent in
which the ingredients are dissolved can act like tanning OIL (NOT suntan
lotion) and intensify the sun and cause severe burning - it needs to dry
well before the sun is on the plants - shading can help if necessary.

Other than that, and of course being careful not to get it on you or
breathe it in (as you should be when using it anytime - reading the label
for safety precautinos is always a good idea!), I think you should be
fine.

That's my opinion and I am a person who thinks scale are one of the TRUE
evils of the world!!