About a year ago I asked about an infestation of mealy bugs I had with
a newly bought phal. I just thought I'd let you know how I eventually
got rid of them. I tried the old 'dab them with meths' trick a number
of times but they just kept coming back, so not wanting to infect the
rest of the plants I thought it was do or die time (for the orchid
and/or the mealy bugs!). I completely immersed the orchid
(pot,'soil',orchid to well over the top of the leaves) in a warm
(~35C) solution of Sybol Extra(10%) for half an hour. I did this twice
within a week and haven't seen them since, didn't have to repot and
the thing hasn't stopped flowering since!
I didn't think it would survive the treatment, but orchids seem to be
a lot tougher than people give them credit for!

l8rs
Dave

Dave,

What is Sybol Extra?

Glad it did in the mealy bugs. I dipped my plants in Orthenex once last fall
and it seemed to work on most of the scales. Just an isolated bug or so once
in a while now.

Bob


"Dave" wrote in message
m...
About a year ago I asked about an infestation of mealy bugs I had with
a newly bought phal. I just thought I'd let you know how I eventually
got rid of them. I tried the old 'dab them with meths' trick a number
of times but they just kept coming back, so not wanting to infect the
rest of the plants I thought it was do or die time (for the orchid
and/or the mealy bugs!). I completely immersed the orchid
(pot,'soil',orchid to well over the top of the leaves) in a warm
(~35C) solution of Sybol Extra(10%) for half an hour. I did this twice
within a week and haven't seen them since, didn't have to repot and
the thing hasn't stopped flowering since!
I didn't think it would survive the treatment, but orchids seem to be
a lot tougher than people give them credit for!

l8rs
Dave

I'm glad you brought this up because I was going to ask about mealybugs as
soon as I had a chance.

I noted a few of the critters in a Maxillaria tenuifolia. The plant is
moderately sized and thus has quite a large amount of sheath. Hidden in some
of the old (brown, paper thin) sheath are the bugs. There were some of the
bugs even hidden in greener areas. Should I have been removing the sheath
all along? There is quite a lot there to do this.

Also, will Neem oil help get rid of the mealybugs? I do not have orthonex
on hand, and wanted to use something more organic, and thus I sprayed the
plant with Neem. Will it help?

Thanks.

Larry


"Dave" wrote in message
m...
About a year ago I asked about an infestation of mealy bugs I had with
a newly bought phal. I just thought I'd let you know how I eventually
got rid of them. I tried the old 'dab them with meths' trick a number
of times but they just kept coming back, so not wanting to infect the
rest of the plants I thought it was do or die time (for the orchid
and/or the mealy bugs!). I completely immersed the orchid
(pot,'soil',orchid to well over the top of the leaves) in a warm
(~35C) solution of Sybol Extra(10%) for half an hour. I did this twice
within a week and haven't seen them since, didn't have to repot and
the thing hasn't stopped flowering since!
I didn't think it would survive the treatment, but orchids seem to be
a lot tougher than people give them credit for!

l8rs
Dave

I hate mealie bugs! They killed a hoya I had once - in a matter
of days. Just thought I'd mention when it comes to mealies there's no
such thing as a few, to our eyes it's a few, in realiity betieve it
there are a hidden thousand.
Burr

I hate mealie bugs! They killed a hoya I had once - in a matter
of days. Just thought I'd mention when it comes to mealies there's no
such thing as a few, to our eyes it's a few, in realiity betieve it
there are a hidden thousand.
Burr

Sybol Extra:
http://www.gardeningdatabase.co.uk/Chemicals/Sybol.aspx
http://www.crocus.co.uk/?ContentType...affiliate =td
http://www.rhs.org.uk/learning/publi...ultivation.asp



"Bob Walsh" wrote in message ...
Dave,

What is Sybol Extra?

Glad it did in the mealy bugs. I dipped my plants in Orthenex once last fall
and it seemed to work on most of the scales. Just an isolated bug or so once
in a while now.

Bob


"Dave" wrote in message
m...
About a year ago I asked about an infestation of mealy bugs I had with
a newly bought phal. I just thought I'd let you know how I eventually
got rid of them. I tried the old 'dab them with meths' trick a number
of times but they just kept coming back, so not wanting to infect the
ret of the plants I thought it was do or die time (for the orchid
and/or the mealy bugs!). I completely immersed the orchid
(pot,'soil',orchid to well over the top of the leaves) in a warm
(~35C) solution of Sybol Extra(10%) for half an hour. I did this twice
within a week and haven't seen them since, didn't have to repot and
the thing hasn't stopped flowering since!
I didn't think it would survive the treatment, but orchids seem to be
a lot tougher than people give them credit for!

l8rs
Dave

On 3 Mar 2005 05:28:52 -0800,
(Dave) wrote:

Sybol Extra:
http://www.gardeningdatabase.co.uk/Chemicals/Sybol.aspx
http://www.crocus.co.uk/?ContentType...affiliate =td
http://www.rhs.org.uk/learning/publi...ultivation.asp



"Bob Walsh" wrote in message ...
Dave,

What is Sybol Extra?

This is what the USDA has to say about the active ingredient.
http://infoventures.com/e-hlth/pestcide/bifenthr.html

Be careful with that stuff, my quick scan says it is very toxic.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

On 3 Mar 2005 05:28:52 -0800,
(Dave) wrote:

Sybol Extra:
http://www.gardeningdatabase.co.uk/Chemicals/Sybol.aspx
http://www.crocus.co.uk/?ContentType...affiliate =td
http://www.rhs.org.uk/learning/publi...ultivation.asp



"Bob Walsh" wrote in message ...
Dave,

What is Sybol Extra?

This is what the USDA has to say about the active ingredient.
http://infoventures.com/e-hlth/pestcide/bifenthr.html

Be careful with that stuff, my quick scan says it is very toxic.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Well, its sold here in the States as Talstar. Etoxnet
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/bifenthr.htm

K

"Susan Erickson" wrote in message
...
On 3 Mar 2005 05:28:52 -0800,
(Dave) wrote:

Sybol Extra:
http://www.gardeningdatabase.co.uk/Chemicals/Sybol.aspx

http://www.crocus.co.uk/?ContentType...9&affiliate =
td

http://www.rhs.org.uk/learning/publi.../pubs_journals
_garden_0300_cultivation.asp



"Bob Walsh" wrote in message
...
Dave,

What is Sybol Extra?

This is what the USDA has to say about the active ingredient.
http://infoventures.com/e-hlth/pestcide/bifenthr.html

Be careful with that stuff, my quick scan says it is very toxic.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

I agree with you.

I was interested to see that the Talstar or Sybol product is also a
miticide. Enstar is another product that worked for me, and supposedly
isn't as toxic as some things - but google search for yourselves and your
own education so yo know what you are using instead of "someone one the web
said"...

K Barrett

wrote in message
...
I hate mealie bugs! They killed a hoya I had once - in a matter
of days. Just thought I'd mention when it comes to mealies there's no
such thing as a few, to our eyes it's a few, in realiity betieve it
there are a hidden thousand.
Burr

Larry,

I don't believe that neem kills bugs (I may be wrong) but it does inhibit
the growth of the young so they can't multiply.

You can use a mix of 1 pint isopropyl alcohol and one pint orange power 409
with enough water to fill a gallon container and spray the plants when ever
you see bugs.

The 409 loosens the waxy protection the bugs have and the alcohol kills
them. Mealies, scale, and spider mites are susceptable.

Bob
Bob

"Larry" wrote in message
. ..
I'm glad you brought this up because I was going to ask about mealybugs as
soon as I had a chance.

I noted a few of the critters in a Maxillaria tenuifolia. The plant is
moderately sized and thus has quite a large amount of sheath. Hidden in
some of the old (brown, paper thin) sheath are the bugs. There were some
of the bugs even hidden in greener areas. Should I have been removing the
sheath all along? There is quite a lot there to do this.

Also, will Neem oil help get rid of the mealybugs? I do not have orthonex
on hand, and wanted to use something more organic, and thus I sprayed the
plant with Neem. Will it help?

Thanks.

Larry


"Dave" wrote in message
m...
About a year ago I asked about an infestation of mealy bugs I had with
a newly bought phal. I just thought I'd let you know how I eventually
got rid of them. I tried the old 'dab them with meths' trick a number
of times but they just kept coming back, so not wanting to infect the
rest of the plants I thought it was do or die time (for the orchid
and/or the mealy bugs!). I completely immersed the orchid
(pot,'soil',orchid to well over the top of the leaves) in a warm
(~35C) solution of Sybol Extra(10%) for half an hour. I did this twice
within a week and haven't seen them since, didn't have to repot and
the thing hasn't stopped flowering since!
I didn't think it would survive the treatment, but orchids seem to be
a lot tougher than people give them credit for!

l8rs
Dave

Thanks for the advice. Is there anything in the orange power 409 that makes
it special?

Larry

"Bob Walsh" wrote in message
...
Larry,

I don't believe that neem kills bugs (I may be wrong) but it does inhibit
the growth of the young so they can't multiply.

You can use a mix of 1 pint isopropyl alcohol and one pint orange power
409 with enough water to fill a gallon container and spray the plants when
ever you see bugs.

The 409 loosens the waxy protection the bugs have and the alcohol kills
them. Mealies, scale, and spider mites are susceptable.

Bob

Larry,

I don't know. It is a recipe from someone else and it seems to work for me.
There is another recipe that includes vegtable oil but I seem to recall some
stickiness from the oir over time. The addition of the oil was to smother
the bugs the alcohol didn't get. That one may be on Ray's website along with
other great tips.

Bob

"Larry" wrote in message
news
Thanks for the advice. Is there anything in the orange power 409 that
makes it special?

Larry

"Bob Walsh" wrote in message
...
Larry,

I don't believe that neem kills bugs (I may be wrong) but it does inhibit
the growth of the young so they can't multiply.

You can use a mix of 1 pint isopropyl alcohol and one pint orange power
409 with enough water to fill a gallon container and spray the plants
when ever you see bugs.

The 409 loosens the waxy protection the bugs have and the alcohol kills
them. Mealies, scale, and spider mites are susceptable.

Bob

Bob Walsh wrote:

You can use a mix of 1 pint isopropyl alcohol and one pint orange
power 409
with enough water to fill a gallon container and spray the plants
when ever
you see bugs.

The 409 loosens the waxy protection the bugs have and the alcohol
kills
them. Mealies, scale, and spider mites are susceptable.

Bob

Bob, after checking on a few other things, I modified your recipe in a
trial on a couple of my "scale" magnets. I keep spider plants as tell
tales, the scale will go to them first. The exception in the orchids
is phaius tankerville. scale love them. Whether it's due to the
warmer weather or having my plant room open for fresh air, I recently
noticed some mealie bugs on some phals.

I can't use 409, and do nearly all my cleaning with various
concentrations of Simple Green, so that is the product I used.

My first trial was 16 oz Isopropyl alcohol 70%, 1/2 Cup (4 oz) Simple
Green, and water to fill a 1 gallon spayer. I actually think the SG
may have been a little on the high side, but time will tell after I
finish testing and possibly modify the recipe. The SG label recommends
50/1 ratio for light cleaning, 10/1 ratio for all purpose cleaning. I
used a 30/1 ratio in my sprayer. Funny, you'd think they would include
a ratio for insect control.

I sprayed 1 phaius, 3 phals, and the spider plants. Will keep you
posted as to the results.

Nancy