Important points about pests of the Phalaenopsis orchid: treatment and photos of parasites
Some tropical plants can be grown at home, but before that, you should learn about the growing conditions. Connoisseurs of beauty have recently chosen orchids, because although they are finicky, they are insanely beautiful.
If you do not follow all the necessary rules, then the plant can not only get sick, but also become home to some parasites. How to cope with parasites of orchids we will tell in this article. Also watch a helpful video on the topic.
The Importance of Inspecting a Plant Before Acquiring
ATTENTION: Before you buy a plant in the store, you should carefully inspect it for suspicious stains or damage. Often people do not notice anything, because they make a purchase in a hurry, mesmerized by the beauty of the flower. The further activity of some parasites becomes noticeable, because small damage to the leaves and various spots appear.Florists strongly recommend that before planting a Phalaenopsis orchid in the house, to study all pests, so that later they can cope with problems. Pests can be microscopic or larger. Some parasites prefer to feast on the roots, but in most cases leaf patrons live on indoor plants. Often you can find on a flower a variety of spiders, ticks, worms or aphids. These parasites are adapted to any conditions, so it is almost impossible to get rid of them.
The danger of such pests lies in the fact that they can easily sort out to other plants, absorbing everything in its path. If you do not treat the plant from such an invasion, then you can bring it to death. An important fact remains that such parasites are harmful to humans, so it is in his own interests to quickly get rid of the negative effects of insects and microbes.
In order to check the plant for the presence of parasites, it is necessary to place it in water, because in just a few minutes all the residents of the orchid will crawl out of their shelters. You can remove pests yourself, but it is better to resort to proven means.
You can fight parasites using folk methods. It is often recommended to use herbal tinctures, which wipe the leaves. These techniques are effective, but it is better to resort to chemical treatment.
All kinds of drugs can completely destroy pests and protect the plant from repeated interference. You can also use biological components to kill pests, but still not all of them will be defeated. Some pests are adapted to such effects.
Parasites: description, methods of disposal and photo species
Ticks
These parasites can fall on the plant in the store or already at home, because they live absolutely everywhere. Several types of ticks may look different, but they cause damage to the plant equally terrible. Ticks make small punctures in the leaves, after which they begin to turn white, dry and fall away. The buds on the plant do not open, but gradually die off. Often you can observe the web on the leaves.
In order to get rid of ticks, you need to collect them with your hands, place the plant in water, and then return to its usual place.
The orchid needs to be sprayed with a phytoerm every few weeks.
Watch a video about processing orchids about ticks:
Thrips
These small insects can live in all kinds of gardens. Bugs of black color with two pairs of wings move perfectly, so they can easily get on any plant. They hide in the ground, so it is much harder to detect. The bugs leave silver traces behind them, so only in this way can we understand that the plant is infected. Thrips suck juice from the plant and lay larvae in the roots.
In order to get rid of the parasite, it is necessary to spray the orchid with a complex solution of actellica and itotherm.
Watch a video about orchids otripsy and methods of dealing with them:
Whitefly
A small butterfly of milky color absorbs the sap of the plant, producing offspring directly on the stems. An orchid affected by such an insect becomes lethargic and weak.. Leaflets gradually turn yellow and fall.
Whiteflies fly well, so they can easily lay larvae under leaflets. To get rid of the pest, you need to treat the plant with warm water and laundry soap.
Once every few weeks, the orchid should be sprayed with a phytoerm.
Gossips
Representatives of pests that suck juice from a plant include nailstail. Some orchid fans often noticed how small brown insects crawl out of the ground, which disappeared too quickly. They move by jumping, so it will be difficult to catch such a pest. If there are too many parasites, then they begin to feed on the roots of the plant.
You need to get rid of them as soon as possible so that their number does not reach an alarming number. You can get rid of them only if you reduce the amount of watering and process the plant twice a week with a phytoderm.
Aphid
There are a lot of varieties of this parasite, but there is a species of aphids that prefers to eat precisely orchids.
This pest is not dangerous for the flower, but its emissions remaining on the leaves prevent their normal production of oxygen.
At the same time, the leaves become a place for the reproduction of bacteria and fungus.
You can get rid of aphids only by washing the flower with water and laundry soap.
Nematodes
Roundworms are one of the most common orchid pests.. All kinds of plant diseases are caused by the fact that the worms get into the roots, stem and leaves. They feed on all the beneficial substances of the orchid and suck out its juice.
These worms can not only feed on the plant, but also poison it with their secretions. Orchid ceases to grow, and after some time completely dies.
These worms do not like hot water, so you can warm the flower, but you should make sure that you do not destroy the flower yourself.
Woodlice
Such parasites are extremely rare on orchids, but if they managed to get there, then it is worth immediately withdrawing the inhabitants. Woodlice move, albeit slowly, but are active in the substrate. During watering, they try to hide, so finding a parasite is difficult.
You just need to lower the plant into the water and wait a bit. After a few minutes, the wood lice themselves will begin to creep out. If the pests remain, then the orchid should be transplanted, washing the roots well before that.
Mealybug
A fairly nice parasite from the side resembles a fluffy lump with small antennae. For orchids, such a miracle is a serious danger, because it is almost impossible to find it on a plant. A mealybug hides in hard-to-reach places, on the roots. They suck the juice from the flower and leave behind a white liquid. This pest is noticed only when the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall.
It is necessary to eliminate all dry and damaged leaves, as well as inspect those places where the parasite can hide. Using a wand, you can get a worm, and it’s worth checking several times a week.
Watch a video about fighting mealybugs on orchids:
False shield and shield
These parasites are found on orchids quite often. They suck out all the nutrients and leave behind a sticky liquid. After some time, it will become an excellent environment for the development of fungus and rot. Adult scale insects can lay larvae directly on the stem. They, in turn, attach to the plant, feeding on its juices. After a few days, the individual becomes mature and the vicious circle continues.
You can get rid of such pests quickly enough, because for this you should rinse the flower with water, while removing parasites.
Treat the plant with a solution of actellic and phytoerm. Repeat this procedure several times a month. Already after complete disposal of parasites, you need to transplant the plant.
Care Rules
Owners of indoor plants will need to spend a lot of time and effort to make a real work of art from an orchid. It is worth adhering to some rules in order to achieve a greater result:
- Lighting should be moderate, avoiding direct sunlight;
- air temperature should not exceed twenty-seven degrees in the morning and twenty-four degrees in the evening;
- moderate watering for the plant;
- feeding orchids is carried out no more than once every few weeks.
Conclusion
The first time an orchid blooms only in the second year of its life, therefore, with proper care and treatment, the plant will be able to please its owner in time with a beautiful color and luxurious appearance.