Ant infested orchids
 

Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result, many
got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those that
are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating on
new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is nothing
to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally attract
scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to start
thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the ants. I
have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated somehow.
Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of these
pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them before
I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.


Mariana

Ant infested orchids
 

Hello!

Ray has some home made recipe on his site!

Click on: http://www.firstrays.com/remedies.htm

There are a few ant repellant!

Claude

"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
. net...
| Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result,
many
| got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those that
| are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating on
| new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is
nothing
| to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally
attract
| scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to
start
| thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the ants.
I
| have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow.
| Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of these
| pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
| spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them
before
| I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.
|
|
| Mariana
|
|
|

Ant infested orchids
 

Hello!

Ray has some home made recipe on his site!

Click on: http://www.firstrays.com/remedies.htm

There are a few ant repellant!

Claude

"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
. net...
| Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result,
many
| got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those that
| are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating on
| new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is
nothing
| to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally
attract
| scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to
start
| thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the ants.
I
| have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow.
| Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of these
| pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
| spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them
before
| I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.
|
|
| Mariana
|
|
|

Ant infested orchids
 

Thanks Claude. Ray has good suggestions, but they don't really apply in my
case. My orchids are not grown in a greenhouse but outdoors right now. So
I don't believe that the boric/wax mix will work, unless I can place pieces
of it directly on the media? what about the orchids that are mounted? Also,
I don't have access to cow dung or grits :(.

Thank you for researching,
Mariana

"Claude" wrote in message
...
Hello!

Ray has some home made recipe on his site!

Click on: http://www.firstrays.com/remedies.htm

There are a few ant repellant!

Claude

"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
. net...
| Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result,
many
| got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those
that
| are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating
on
| new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is
nothing
| to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally
attract
| scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to
start
| thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the
ants.
I
| have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow.
| Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of
these
| pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
| spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them
before
| I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.
|
|
| Mariana
|
|
|

Ant infested orchids
 

On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 00:49:52 GMT, GrlIntrpted wrote:

Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result, many
got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those that
are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating on
new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is nothing
to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally attract
scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to start
thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the ants. I
have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated somehow.
Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of these
pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them before
I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.


Mariana

Mariana, There is some ant killer put out by Ortho. It is a powder in
a tubular container. "Ant Stop" Ant Guard or something like that.
Just be careful of kids & pets.
Will try to get the right name for you. It works!!!
Cheers Wendy

Ant infested orchids
 

Amdro works well but is pretty toxic. Orange Guard says it kills ants and
is pet friendly. Personally I like the Orange Guard for this reason plus it
works well for me. We use the Amdro on fire ants though.

Shell


"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
. net...
Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result,
many
got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those that
are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating on
new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is
nothing
to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally
attract
scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to
start
thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the ants.
I
have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow.
Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of these
pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them
before
I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.


Mariana

Ant infested orchids
 

Thanks so very much Wendy. Do I just sprinkle it on the orchid media? Is it
safe for the orchids?

Mariana

"Wendy" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 00:49:52 GMT, GrlIntrpted wrote:

Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result,
many
got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those
that
are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating
on
new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is
nothing
to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally
attract
scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to
start
thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the
ants. I
have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow.
Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of
these
pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them
before
I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.


Mariana

Mariana, There is some ant killer put out by Ortho. It is a powder in
a tubular container. "Ant Stop" Ant Guard or something like that.
Just be careful of kids & pets.
Will try to get the right name for you. It works!!!
Cheers Wendy

Ant infested orchids
 

Thank you Shell, Is that an item available at HomeDepot or any other
hardware store?

-M

"Weeble" wrote in message
. com...
Amdro works well but is pretty toxic. Orange Guard says it kills ants and
is pet friendly. Personally I like the Orange Guard for this reason plus
it
works well for me. We use the Amdro on fire ants though.

Shell


"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
. net...
Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result,
many
got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those
that
are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating
on
new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is
nothing
to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally
attract
scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to
start
thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the
ants.
I
have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow.
Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of
these
pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them
before
I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.


Mariana

Ant infested orchids
 

Thanks so very much Wendy. Do I just sprinkle it on the orchid media? Is it
safe for the orchids?

Mariana

"Wendy" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 00:49:52 GMT, GrlIntrpted wrote:

Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result,
many
got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those
that
are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating
on
new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is
nothing
to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally
attract
scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to
start
thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the
ants. I
have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow.
Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of
these
pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them
before
I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.


Mariana

Mariana, There is some ant killer put out by Ortho. It is a powder in
a tubular container. "Ant Stop" Ant Guard or something like that.
Just be careful of kids & pets.
Will try to get the right name for you. It works!!!
Cheers Wendy

Ant infested orchids
 

Thank you Shell, Is that an item available at HomeDepot or any other
hardware store?

-M

"Weeble" wrote in message
. com...
Amdro works well but is pretty toxic. Orange Guard says it kills ants and
is pet friendly. Personally I like the Orange Guard for this reason plus
it
works well for me. We use the Amdro on fire ants though.

Shell


"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
. net...
Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a result,
many
got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts hybrids, those
that
are in pots as well as those that are mounted. I see ants congragating
on
new growths (probably enjoying the sap). Now I think that there is
nothing
to worry about (for now), but I heard somewhere that ants generally
attract
scales and other unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to
start
thinking of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the
ants.
I
have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow.
Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the plants of
these
pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any chemicals that are easy to
spray or treat the orchids with? Do I need to repot every one of them
before
I take them indoors? Assistance much appreciated.


Mariana

Ant infested orchids
 

Yes Mariana it is okay for the plants and I gave them a good flush the day
after treating them.
I remember one plant was teaming with the little black ants so I took it out
the g/h & sprinkled the
plant. Went back in the afternoon to check, there was a black ring of ants
on the concrete also
a ring of white eggs!!!! All dead.
Still have not be out to the potting shed, to look for the name, just
had a cast put on
my foot so I am not too nimble at the moment.
It is Ortho & in a round cylinder type container.
Let us know what happens.
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

GrlIntrpted wrote:
Thanks so very much Wendy. Do I just sprinkle it on the orchid
media? Is it safe for the orchids?

Mariana

"Wendy" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 00:49:52 GMT, GrlIntrpted wrote:

Many of my orchids are enjoying the outdoors this summer. As a
result, many got infested by ants, many of the Catts and the Catts
hybrids, those that are in pots as well as those that are mounted.
I see ants congragating on new growths (probably enjoying the sap).
Now I think that there is nothing to worry about (for now), but I
heard somewhere that ants generally attract scales and other
unwanted kaka. Also, in about 2 months I'm going to start thinking
of bringing them in, and obviously I'm concerned about the ants. I
have over 200 pots and mounts that will probably need to be treated
somehow. Can anyone recommend what I need to do in order to rid the
plants of these pesky creatures w/o damaging the plants? Any
chemicals that are easy to spray or treat the orchids with? Do I
need to repot every one of them before I take them indoors?
Assistance much appreciated.


Mariana

Mariana, There is some ant killer put out by Ortho. It is a powder in
a tubular container. "Ant Stop" Ant Guard or something like that.
Just be careful of kids & pets.
Will try to get the right name for you. It works!!!
Cheers Wendy

Ant infested orchids
 

Thank you Shell, Is that an item available at HomeDepot or any other
hardware store?

Hi, Mariana,

Amdro can be found at HD or Lowe's. WalMart has Terro, which attracts the
ants (heh, heh) and finishes 'em off. Still, my advice would be to treat
now for aesthetic reasons, and a few days before taking the plants in for
the season, hit them with Orthene or something similar. Orthene is
systemic, so you can water it through the medium. The reason I say a few
days before bringing them in is that Orthene is not particularly pleasant
smelling.

I know someone is going to disagree with me on dosage, but I stand by it: I
use 2 tsp. per gallon of water; I have found that anything more can burn
the leaves.

About ants attracting scale, etc., there's a relationship there. Ants will
be attracted to plants that have beasties such as mealies and can spread
them, though at this time of the year it's just as likely that the ants are
simply *there*. If you see the ants congregating in a particular area, do
check for bugs. The following is lifted from the July edition of Motes
online newsletter (I've selected a few passages, so it's not in context):

"Ants like the orchid medium because it is by nature dry. They hate water
and will build their nests higher and higher in wet ground. An orchid pot is
therefor a penthouse apartment for them. Immersing the entire pot ant plant
in a large vessel of water will persuaded them to find another place to set
up house keeping. Be sure to cover the entire pot and if possible the entire
plant. If the plant can not be totally submerged allow some of the foliage
to touch the edge of the vessel so that the ants can beat a retreat and are
not forced to wait out the flood perched on the upper reaches of the plant.
If you have some vengeance in mind, 2 oz. of dish washing soap per gal added
to the water should hasten and further their departure. Even more wrathful
is 2 tsp per gal of Orthene SP or 1tbs. per gal of DiazinonWP. Be sure to
wear gloves with either of the latter."

"While usually content with the sweet manna that the orchids yield up from
their largess, sometimes ants take things into their own mandibles. And what
they take can be scale insects, aphids and mealy bugs. Ants have also set up
symbiotic relationships with these creatures all of which are very efficient
at extracting sugars from plants. Growers should observe closely where the
ants are going and be sure that at the ends of their routes one does not
find a fluffy white mass of immature scale or mealy bugs. Alternatively one
may discover hardened mature scale or aphids. Leaf axils, under bracts of
new growths or flower spikes are favorite places that ants like to deposit
their little sucking friends. The ants have already scouted out the richest
veins to mine and they know that sucking insects cannot use all of the
sugars that they so efficiently extract."

There's a lot more, but I don't want to make this post too big.

Diana

Ant infested orchids
 

Thank you Shell, Is that an item available at HomeDepot or any other
hardware store?

Hi, Mariana,

Amdro can be found at HD or Lowe's. WalMart has Terro, which attracts the
ants (heh, heh) and finishes 'em off. Still, my advice would be to treat
now for aesthetic reasons, and a few days before taking the plants in for
the season, hit them with Orthene or something similar. Orthene is
systemic, so you can water it through the medium. The reason I say a few
days before bringing them in is that Orthene is not particularly pleasant
smelling.

I know someone is going to disagree with me on dosage, but I stand by it: I
use 2 tsp. per gallon of water; I have found that anything more can burn
the leaves.

About ants attracting scale, etc., there's a relationship there. Ants will
be attracted to plants that have beasties such as mealies and can spread
them, though at this time of the year it's just as likely that the ants are
simply *there*. If you see the ants congregating in a particular area, do
check for bugs. The following is lifted from the July edition of Motes
online newsletter (I've selected a few passages, so it's not in context):

"Ants like the orchid medium because it is by nature dry. They hate water
and will build their nests higher and higher in wet ground. An orchid pot is
therefor a penthouse apartment for them. Immersing the entire pot ant plant
in a large vessel of water will persuaded them to find another place to set
up house keeping. Be sure to cover the entire pot and if possible the entire
plant. If the plant can not be totally submerged allow some of the foliage
to touch the edge of the vessel so that the ants can beat a retreat and are
not forced to wait out the flood perched on the upper reaches of the plant.
If you have some vengeance in mind, 2 oz. of dish washing soap per gal added
to the water should hasten and further their departure. Even more wrathful
is 2 tsp per gal of Orthene SP or 1tbs. per gal of DiazinonWP. Be sure to
wear gloves with either of the latter."

"While usually content with the sweet manna that the orchids yield up from
their largess, sometimes ants take things into their own mandibles. And what
they take can be scale insects, aphids and mealy bugs. Ants have also set up
symbiotic relationships with these creatures all of which are very efficient
at extracting sugars from plants. Growers should observe closely where the
ants are going and be sure that at the ends of their routes one does not
find a fluffy white mass of immature scale or mealy bugs. Alternatively one
may discover hardened mature scale or aphids. Leaf axils, under bracts of
new growths or flower spikes are favorite places that ants like to deposit
their little sucking friends. The ants have already scouted out the richest
veins to mine and they know that sucking insects cannot use all of the
sugars that they so efficiently extract."

There's a lot more, but I don't want to make this post too big.

Diana

Ant infested orchids
 

Oh this is great, Diana thank you!

Mariana

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
nk.net...
Thank you Shell, Is that an item available at HomeDepot or any other
hardware store?

Hi, Mariana,

Amdro can be found at HD or Lowe's. WalMart has Terro, which attracts the
ants (heh, heh) and finishes 'em off. Still, my advice would be to treat
now for aesthetic reasons, and a few days before taking the plants in for
the season, hit them with Orthene or something similar. Orthene is
systemic, so you can water it through the medium. The reason I say a few
days before bringing them in is that Orthene is not particularly pleasant
smelling.

I know someone is going to disagree with me on dosage, but I stand by it:
I
use 2 tsp. per gallon of water; I have found that anything more can burn
the leaves.

About ants attracting scale, etc., there's a relationship there. Ants
will
be attracted to plants that have beasties such as mealies and can spread
them, though at this time of the year it's just as likely that the ants
are
simply *there*. If you see the ants congregating in a particular area, do
check for bugs. The following is lifted from the July edition of Motes
online newsletter (I've selected a few passages, so it's not in context):

"Ants like the orchid medium because it is by nature dry. They hate water
and will build their nests higher and higher in wet ground. An orchid pot
is
therefor a penthouse apartment for them. Immersing the entire pot ant
plant
in a large vessel of water will persuaded them to find another place to
set
up house keeping. Be sure to cover the entire pot and if possible the
entire
plant. If the plant can not be totally submerged allow some of the foliage
to touch the edge of the vessel so that the ants can beat a retreat and
are
not forced to wait out the flood perched on the upper reaches of the
plant.
If you have some vengeance in mind, 2 oz. of dish washing soap per gal
added
to the water should hasten and further their departure. Even more wrathful
is 2 tsp per gal of Orthene SP or 1tbs. per gal of DiazinonWP. Be sure to
wear gloves with either of the latter."

"While usually content with the sweet manna that the orchids yield up from
their largess, sometimes ants take things into their own mandibles. And
what
they take can be scale insects, aphids and mealy bugs. Ants have also set
up
symbiotic relationships with these creatures all of which are very
efficient
at extracting sugars from plants. Growers should observe closely where the
ants are going and be sure that at the ends of their routes one does not
find a fluffy white mass of immature scale or mealy bugs. Alternatively
one
may discover hardened mature scale or aphids. Leaf axils, under bracts of
new growths or flower spikes are favorite places that ants like to deposit
their little sucking friends. The ants have already scouted out the
richest
veins to mine and they know that sucking insects cannot use all of the
sugars that they so efficiently extract."

There's a lot more, but I don't want to make this post too big.

Diana

Ant infested orchids
 

Oh this is great, Diana thank you!

Mariana

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
nk.net...
Thank you Shell, Is that an item available at HomeDepot or any other
hardware store?

Hi, Mariana,

Amdro can be found at HD or Lowe's. WalMart has Terro, which attracts the
ants (heh, heh) and finishes 'em off. Still, my advice would be to treat
now for aesthetic reasons, and a few days before taking the plants in for
the season, hit them with Orthene or something similar. Orthene is
systemic, so you can water it through the medium. The reason I say a few
days before bringing them in is that Orthene is not particularly pleasant
smelling.

I know someone is going to disagree with me on dosage, but I stand by it:
I
use 2 tsp. per gallon of water; I have found that anything more can burn
the leaves.

About ants attracting scale, etc., there's a relationship there. Ants
will
be attracted to plants that have beasties such as mealies and can spread
them, though at this time of the year it's just as likely that the ants
are
simply *there*. If you see the ants congregating in a particular area, do
check for bugs. The following is lifted from the July edition of Motes
online newsletter (I've selected a few passages, so it's not in context):

"Ants like the orchid medium because it is by nature dry. They hate water
and will build their nests higher and higher in wet ground. An orchid pot
is
therefor a penthouse apartment for them. Immersing the entire pot ant
plant
in a large vessel of water will persuaded them to find another place to
set
up house keeping. Be sure to cover the entire pot and if possible the
entire
plant. If the plant can not be totally submerged allow some of the foliage
to touch the edge of the vessel so that the ants can beat a retreat and
are
not forced to wait out the flood perched on the upper reaches of the
plant.
If you have some vengeance in mind, 2 oz. of dish washing soap per gal
added
to the water should hasten and further their departure. Even more wrathful
is 2 tsp per gal of Orthene SP or 1tbs. per gal of DiazinonWP. Be sure to
wear gloves with either of the latter."

"While usually content with the sweet manna that the orchids yield up from
their largess, sometimes ants take things into their own mandibles. And
what
they take can be scale insects, aphids and mealy bugs. Ants have also set
up
symbiotic relationships with these creatures all of which are very
efficient
at extracting sugars from plants. Growers should observe closely where the
ants are going and be sure that at the ends of their routes one does not
find a fluffy white mass of immature scale or mealy bugs. Alternatively
one
may discover hardened mature scale or aphids. Leaf axils, under bracts of
new growths or flower spikes are favorite places that ants like to deposit
their little sucking friends. The ants have already scouted out the
richest
veins to mine and they know that sucking insects cannot use all of the
sugars that they so efficiently extract."

There's a lot more, but I don't want to make this post too big.

Diana