The orchid is a plant that produces very pretty flowers, tropical and fill any garden with color, however, that beauty does not help protect them against pests.
Mealybugs are among the most frequent pests that affect most plants. Orchids are the plants most attacked by these insects, since these prefer the hard leaves.
Main species of mealybugs that attack orchids
Regardless of how you grow orchids, it is essential to keep your flowers well protected through routine checks. If pests are detected early, damage can be greatly reduced.
Cottony
This is a kind of mealybug that can cause damage to both indoor plants, as well as outdoor.
This It is a small insect that has a soft, white body, with shades of gray or in some cases pink, can be about four mm long and are usually found in the axillary area of the leaves or in other hard-to-reach areas.
They release a shiny, silky white substance with which they cover their eggs, which causes the orchids that are attacked to be sticky.
Cottony from the roots
This mealybug can be two mm long, and is usually covered with the roots below a white powder silky texture.
The soft mealybug
It has an oval and flat shape, of a brownish yellow tone and with a measure of between three and four mm in length, generally, are found on the back of the leaves and especially in the branches that are main. The larvae of this small insect they feed on the sap and in its adult stage, they choose a place of said plant for its reproduction.
Ribbed
In its adult stage, the scales of its body are covered by a convex and hemispherical carapace, of a dark brown tone that can measure four mm in diameter.
They are found on the back of the leaves, as well as on the stems and they secrete a molasses-like substance to protect their eggs.
parda
This is a species of mealybug that has scales that are a brownish hue. Like all the others, secrete a substance similar to molasses, which can cause the appearance of so-called bold mold.
The moisture mealybug
This is an insect that has a gray or in some cases a pinkish-brown body, covered by a shell that is divided into segments. During the day it hides in places with a lot of darkness, either under a flowerpot, stones or logs.
Steps to eliminate mealybugs
If the plague is not very serious, you can remove it with your hands or rub each of the leaves with the help of a cotton swab or cotton previously moistened in a little alcohol.
To eliminate mealybugs using their natural enemies, you can go to a specialized store and buy some parasitic wasps or chrysolae, since this way you will not damage the plant.
You can use some insecticidal horticultural oil, which has a low degree of toxicity to control mealybugs in orchids. For this, spray your orchids with this substance in the months of very hot temperatures, which is when these insects are in a younger stage.
Finally, although not recommended, it is use some chemical on the floor that contains imidacloprid to eliminate mealybugs that are not covered by wax. However, it is an excellent product to be used in the winter or spring months.
