When growing orchids, gardeners often have some difficulties. They are associated not only with a violation of care, but also with the appearance of all kinds of diseases and parasites.

Causes of Pests

Orchid is a delicate, fragile plant that delights with its amazing flowering. But very often parasites can be found on a flower.

The reasons for their appearance may be as follows:

• the flower was infected with parasites. When buying, you must carefully inspect the plant;
• non-sanitized soil in which orchids are grown. Use purchased soil or bake it in the oven;
• pests can move to an orchid from other flowers. This happens if the plants are close to each other.

Video: orchid pest control

Pests of orchids and their treatment

When buying an orchid, first of all, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the flower.

The plant may have the following parasites:

• whitefly;
• earthworms;
• spider mite;
• fools;
• wood lice;
• millipedes;
• Mealyworms
• nematodes;
• thrips;
• aphid;
• slugs;
• scale shield.

We will consider methods of dealing with each disease separately.

Important! During the treatment of orchids, it is necessary to stop feeding, since drugs can contribute to the propagation of whiteflies.

Whitefly

Whitefly looks like a small white butterfly. The main sign of the appearance of the pest is the presence of eggs and larvae on the wrong side of the leaf. Whitefly and its larvae eat orchid leaves.

There are two ways to combat the parasite:

1. Chemicals. It is necessary to spray the soil with such means as Fitoverm or Actellik, after 14 days the procedure is repeated, you also need to wipe the leaves on both sides with water for 5 days.
2. Folk way. A soap solution is made with which the stem, leaves and flowers are rubbed.

Earthworms

Earthworms or earthworms have an elongated body 2-3 cm long. The flaccidity of the flower indicates their appearance. Worms tunnel themselves and as a result damage the root system. The parasite often creeps into the pots that are on the ground, as well as if the transplant uses soil from the garden.

Did you know? Earthworms are hermaphrodites; they lay eggs to continue the genus. About 5 eggs hatch in each clutch.

In order to get rid of earthworms, you need to place the flower pot in a deep container with water so that the water completely covers the soil. Within 5-10 minutes, the parasites will crawl out, they can be collected. After a week, you must repeat the procedure.

Spider mite

Spider mite - small insects that infect leaves, dots appear on them, sometimes a white spider web. In the presence of this parasite, the flower discards leaves and inflorescences.

For the fight using such drugs: Actellik, Thiophos, Fitoverm, Neonor, these funds need to be alternated, since the spider mite is able to develop immunity to one drug.

You can also fight folk remedies. To do this, cut the shoots of cyclamen, pour them with water and cook for 40 minutes. Then leave the solution for a day to infuse, then strain. The resulting product is sprayed with a flower 4 times a day for a week.You can also use medical alcohol. They damage the damaged leaves, but before starting the procedure, it is necessary to check the reaction of the flower, for this, apply alcohol to one area.

Fools

Podurs are small gray-white or brown insects that inhabit the soil. This parasite feeds on organisms that are in the ground, but with a lack of nutrients, it begins to eat young orchid roots. In this case, the flower withers.

To combat the fools, you need to dry the soil in which the orchid is grown, then sprinkle sand on top and treat it with Fitoverm. To avoid this parasite, you need to monitor the moisture in the soil in which the flower is grown.

Woodlice

Woodlouse - black beetles, the size of which is 2-3 cm. They feed on roots, leaves and shoots. Holes appear on the leaves. Parasites can appear if, in the summer, put an orchid on the ground in the garden, to avoid this, the flower must be suspended.

There are two ways to fight:

1. The chemical preparation "Mesurol"they spray the soil in the pot.
2. Folk methods. You need to stop watering, wrap a piece of potato or apple in a damp cloth and place the bag in the ground. After 1-5 hours, remove and collect wood lice, the procedure must be repeated for 7 days. With a large number of parasites, it is necessary to transplant the orchid into a new pot, while washing the roots of the plant well.

Millipedes

Millipedes are light brown insects that have several pairs of legs. They feed on insects that are in the ground. To combat them use the drug "Actara". To do this, 4 g of this product is diluted in 5 liters of water, then the resulting solution is sprayed and watered with an orchid.

Mealybug

Mealybug - white insects with an easily noticeable fluff, have a pair of legs and antennae. Males have wings. The main sign of the parasite is yellowing or falling of leaves and the appearance of damage on them, in which fungal infections then form.

To get rid of pests, you need:

• cut dry leaves, mealy worms can hide in them;
• inspect the plant, if parasites are detected, remove them, and treat the wounds with a soap solution;
• spray the soil with Fitoverm, repeat the procedure after 7 days;
• rinse the leaves with warm water for 5 days.

You can also use folk methods, for this you need to dilute 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a liter of water or a soap solution with which the flower is sprayed.

Nematodes

Nematodes are 2 mm long worms. The appearance of rot on the stem and leaves of an orchid is the main sign of the presence of a pest. To cure a flower, first you need to remove it from other plants. Dilute Levamisole in water in a ratio of 1: 1. This mixture is watered with a plant, the procedure is repeated after 7 days. You can also put the flower in water, the temperature of which will be +40 ° C, it is at this temperature that the nematodes die.

Thrips

Thrips are subtle insects. They damage leaves and roots, and lay eggs on the inside of the leaves. The main symptom of pests are growths on the roots, fallen leaves and the appearance of yellow spots.

For treatment use "Actellik" or "Fitoverm", a flower is sprayed with these drugs. To get rid of thrips folk remedies, you can use a solution of olive oil diluted with water, or onion juice in a ratio of 1: 1.

Aphid

Aphids - a white insect 0.5-0.8 mm in size. In the presence of aphids, a sticky coating appears on the plant. For treatment use "Actellik", which is sprayed with a flower. You can use folk remedies. You need to grate the onion, pour the resulting mass with boiled water, leave for 7 hours, so that the solution is infused. Strain and spray orchid leaves. The procedure is repeated for four days twice a day.

Slug

Slugs have a long gray body with stripes, mucus forms on the body. The main sign of the appearance of the pest is damaged shoots, leaves, the presence of holes on them.

For treatment, bait is used in the form of an apple, potatoes, pests crawl out to feast on themselves, after which they can be collected.

Shield

Scale - small white insects, oval, the body of the females of this pest is covered with a shield. When yellow or brown spots appear on the leaves, which increase over time, this is a sign of the appearance of a scab.

Did you know? One female scale insects lays 3 thousand eggs.

Getting rid of this insect is not easy.

Two methods can be used to treat orchids:

1. Chemicals: “Aktara”, “Arrivo”, “Fosfamide”, these preparations process stems, flower leaves, after which the scale dies.
2. Folk methods. The first option is a solution of olive oil with water in a ratio of 1: 1, a plant is sprayed with it. The second option is with garlic. It is necessary to cut the cloves of garlic in half and rub the affected areas of the flower with them.

Preventative measures

To avoid the appearance of the above pests, you need to resort to preventive measures.

Follow these prevention methods:

• Before buying, carefully inspect the flower;
• for transplantation, use sterile soil or purchased substrate in specialized stores;
• in summer, do not put an orchid on the ground, it is best to hang it;
• watch the watering mode;
• wipe the flower with warm water once a week;
• once a month, examine the orchid for parasites;
• if there are other diseased plants near the flower, isolate it and spray it with Actellic.

Orchid is a delicate, fragile flower that requires special care. Knowing under what conditions pests can appear, you can get rid of them in time. And in order to avoid their appearance, you need to remember about precautions when growing orchids.