# Microscopic mites on paphs



## orchid527 (Sep 16, 2021)

First, I must apologize for the quality of the photo. I had to hold my camera over the eyepiece of the microscope.

I had been having some problems with older leaves looking withered on some of my paphs. I could see nothing with a hand lens, so I used my 40x wide field microscope. There were a bunch of these microscopic red mites. I wiped with a white cloth and it showed nothing. I have been through a couple of spray cycles and believe they will soon be under control. I monitor for the eggs to hatch and then I spray all of the plants with miticide. They don't seem to like the phals or phrags that are immediately adjacent. The epicenter of the infestation seems to be a hangianum from Hengduan, but there is really no way to know the original source. 

The photo shows the shell of a dead individual with 2 eggs inside. The eggs are slightly larger than individual plant cells. 

Mike


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## likespaphs (Sep 16, 2021)

Broad mites
I don't remember if you'll need something specific for broad mites or if a regular miticide will do.
When you read the label, if they are on there, it's good
If it says it suppresses them, move on because it will do little to help bring them under control


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## Ray (Sep 16, 2021)

1 comment & 1 question:

Azamax seems to be an extremely broad-spectrum miticide and insecticide, and unlike most, it affects adults, juveniles and eggs.

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with those inexpensive microscopes that can be PC or iPhone connected?


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## Paphman910 (Sep 17, 2021)

Maybe with a Stereo Zoom microscope that can view up to 40x and using something like this on this site: In the lab: Bausch and Lomb StereoZoom 4 with Phone Adapter | Details | Hackaday.io 

I got myself a stereo zoom to view pest but have not gotten a Phone adapter yet!


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## Ray (Sep 17, 2021)

I have not had enough of an insect issue to spend that much money.


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## orchid527 (Sep 17, 2021)

Ray said:


> 1 comment & 1 question:
> 
> Azamax seems to be an extremely broad-spectrum miticide and insecticide, and unlike most, it affects adults, juveniles and eggs.
> 
> Does anyone have any first-hand experience with those inexpensive microscopes that can be PC or iPhone connected?


Ray

I bought one of the digital microscopes with a USB connector. It was advertised as 250x, but it is not anywhere near that strength. It magnifies a dime to fill the screen on my laptop, but the image quality is such that it cannot be enlarged. I let my grandchildren play with it. The microscope I use is a Chinese stereo 40x. I bought it to examine dendrites formed in microscopic abrasions on ancient pottery, in order to confirm authenticity. Just started using it on plants this past year. I can probably buy or make an adaptor for a digital camera. I just don't have one right now.

I may try the Azamax if it affects the eggs too.

Thanks for the info.

Mike


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## Linus_Cello (Sep 17, 2021)

orchid527 said:


> I bought it to examine dendrites formed in microscopic abrasions on ancient pottery, in order to confirm authenticity.



cool. Any type of pottery? Native American? Ancient Roman/Greek? Asian?


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## Paphman910 (Sep 17, 2021)

Ray said:


> I have not had enough of an insect issue to spend that much money.



Got it at garage sale for cheap! It is a Bausch & Lomb StereoZoom 4 Microscope on Boom Stand and you can zoom in from 7 to 40x. Great for working on old mechanical watches or electronic circuits.


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## PeteM (Sep 17, 2021)

Ray said:


> 1 comment & 1 question:
> 
> Azamax seems to be an extremely broad-spectrum miticide and insecticide, and unlike most, it affects adults, juveniles and eggs.


I also use Azamax, a quick light spray on the foliage every week in the summer. I’ve used it on all my orchids as well as my aroid collection which includes philodendron and the softer velvety leaved anthuriums. No issues with damage to any leaves.


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## richgarrison (Sep 17, 2021)

ditto here on the azamax through a fogmaster fogger... i rotate with abemectin and pylon (fogger canisters)... 

for me i also needed to drench to get a really bad infestation under control..


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## orchid527 (Sep 17, 2021)

Linus_Cello said:


> cool. Any type of pottery? Native American? Ancient Roman/Greek? Asian?


Mostly Nasca and Moche with a few older Chavin vessels. This Moche prisoner is a good example. It is about 7-8 inches tall and without restoration. I have a small collection with just a couple of dozen items. Mike


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## southernbelle (Sep 17, 2021)

Ray said:


> 1 comment & 1 question:
> 
> Azamax seems to be an extremely broad-spectrum miticide and insecticide, and unlike most, it affects adults, juveniles and eggs.
> 
> Does anyone have any first-hand experience with those inexpensive microscopes that can be PC or iPhone connected?


I have one of the microscopes you speak of for iPhone. The problem I have is holding it still enough for a good photo. I’m sure there is a solution but so far, I haven’t figured it out.


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## werner.freitag (Sep 18, 2021)




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## richgarrison (Sep 19, 2021)

Awesome post. Can you reveal the source of the table... love to have a table like that for some other pests.. like thrips and boisduval scale


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## PeteM (Sep 19, 2021)

Agreed. Thanks for this table, looks like I’m going to need to research kontos. Would like to have a systemic option for mites.


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## skirincich (Sep 19, 2021)

I hope they work well. Definitely expensive.


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## werner.freitag (Sep 20, 2021)

Miticides for Use in Greenhouse Production Systems - Greenhouse Product News


Answer: It will be my pleasure. A wide range of miticides can be used in greenhouse production systems to mitigate problems with the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, which is the most commonly encountered mite pest of greenhouse-grown horticultural crops. A listing of the...




gpnmag.com


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## Ray (Sep 21, 2021)

I honestly have not looked at the chemistry, but why are miticides so damned expensive?


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## richgarrison (Sep 21, 2021)

including azamax... 

if i need to do a drench, it's basically a 100$ per use with my collection... 

that's with the advice from the companies making the stuff that 'sprench' (SPRay as a drENCH) typically is not successful in comparison.


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## SouthPark (Oct 10, 2021)

You can also purchase pretty good jeweler loupe magnifiers on ebay (with LED lights) ---- '40X Metal Jewelry LED Folding Loupe Magnifier Light Magnifying Glass Jewelry'.


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## My Green Pets (Oct 10, 2021)

There are also predatory mites you can introduce to eat the baddies. I got two different kinds from arbico organics earlier this year and they seem to have taken care of them! Not a single mite found on my Catasetums this year, which were covered in spider mites last year.


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