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Insects That Can Be Attacking Your Orchids, Part 1 of 2

May 13, 2013

insects attacking orchidsIt may be hard to imagine, but even with the most diligent care of your most favorite Phalaenopsis orchids, unwanted insect invaders can easily appear at any moment in time.  Although typical household plant pests can attack orchids, the most common insect Phalaenopsis orchid invaders are scale insects and mealy bugs.

Scale Insects

Scale insects are tiny insects that do not have visible legs or antennae. Scale will press tightly against the Phalaenopsis orchid that they are feeding upon. You will find the scale insects hiding on the undersides of the leaves, feeding upon the plant. Scale insects have long stylets, which are much longer than the insect itself.  This invasive insect will feed slowly upon a plant reducing its vigor and, if not treated, its lifespan. Evidence of scale can be recognized when a plant begins to grow poorly or when leaves or spikes begin to die. On Phalaenopsis orchids, scale insects are often confused with mealy bugs because of the cotton-like appearance that they create.

Outdoors, scale is controlled by natural predators such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps, but indoors, they must be carefully treated by focusing on the scale insect nymphs or crawlers rather than the adults. Once scale insects reach adulthood, they are difficult to kill.  Like mealy bugs, scale insects in their infancy can easily crawl from plant to plant, or accidentally be blown from place to place. Their tiny size makes hiding and infestation quite easy.

Mealy Bugs

Mealy bugs are another common threat to Phalaenopsis orchids. There are approximately 300 species of mealy bugs that are known in the United States and Canada, but reports state only 39 species of the pests tend to attack orchids. Like scale insects, mealy bugs are a serious threat to Phalaenopsis orchids. Failure to address a mealy bug infestation will result in a serious infestation of the pests. 

Please check back for Part 2 on Insects That Can Be Attacking Your Orchids