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Can you help identify what's on my plants?

Janette WardJanette Ward Posts: 2
in Problem solving

Hi,

Just wondering if someone can help me identify what started on 1 of my orchids I brought & has now spread to an aloe vera plant & amaryllis & other orchids in my kitchen window in UK.

It looks like white/greyish furry mould, about pin head size first of all, but on looking closer I saw it had 2 antenna, so obviously a bug of some kind?  I found them round the base shaft of the orchid, then under the leaves & then on top of the leaves ( more noticeable on the green leaf).  It has spread & is in clusters.  What is it please & how do I get rid of it & stop it spreading to my other plants?

I have used washing up liquid & water solution & then clean water only & dried all the plants affected, but to no avail.  It has come back at least 3 times & now the original orchid that had these bugs has produced buds, ready to flower for the first time, but these bugs have gone up the stem & covered each bud, thus killing them all, & turning them light brown.  When they are on the leaves some of the leaves go yellow/brown & die off.

Please can you help me?

Thanks.

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Janette - it's likely to be one of the mealy bugs by the sound of it. They sap suck and are a common  issue on lots of indoor plants like succulents etc. I know nothing about orchids, but if you google mealy bugs, I expect you might get some photos and you may be able to ID the problem image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190

    I agree that they sound like mealy bugs. Possible treatments include spraying with a jet of water to remove them, methylated spirit applied with a cotton bud, and Provado Ultimate Bug Killer.

  • Janette WardJanette Ward Posts: 2

    Thanks to Fairygirl & Alan Clark2 for your quick answers.  On looking on the internet pictures & reading up about mealy bugs, they seem to be the perpetrator, unfortunately.  I' m now dealing with the problem, but I think some of my orchids have been gone too far to be save & are best thrown out to save further spread of the bugs & disease.  Thank you both of your initial help.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    It's a common sort of issue with that kind of plant unfortunately - cacti are the same. Hope you can save most Janette - and maybe treat yourself to a couple of new ones as replacements image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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