# what are these shiny brown moving spheres!!!???



## MoreWater (Jun 2, 2008)

They sit still all day, but come dusk they move around pretty quickly. They are on two cork mounts in my office case, but are also spreading. wah! 

I did a soap dunk and an orthene WP bath on Sunday and got rid of quite a lot, but they are still there.... I also found a mealie (where there's one there's....) and a couple of other things with wings. 

Attempts at mugshots below. The photos contain cork, ang root, and bug/pest/shiny brown thing.








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## Heather (Jun 2, 2008)

Uh oh - you're still at work! Go home, girl!!

(ps, I have no idea! although sometimes my besseaes and hybrids sometimes get water droplets on the underside of the leaves and they sort of remind me of this....water, humidity, no sun....dunno? Just a thought...)


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## Ron-NY (Jun 2, 2008)

I'm still at work too...I would suspect some type of bark beetle but it is difficult to tell from the pic.


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## MoreWater (Jun 2, 2008)

I can't get in any closer than this. Maybe I should find my loupe (it's rolling around the floor of my car somewhere).

I'm not at work, btw. For the record. I've got some volunteer newsletter stuff to do now. 

They look like what plum scale sounds like - that stuff they have out in hawaii and Cal (where the mounts came from). Any thoughts?


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## NYEric (Jun 2, 2008)

Mites?


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## Heather (Jun 2, 2008)

MoreWater said:


> I'm not at work, btw. For the record. I've got some volunteer newsletter stuff to do now.



Oh right, me neither...oh wait, I'm here! I guess I am still at work...


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## cwt (Jun 3, 2008)

Scary!!!!


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## NYEric (Jun 3, 2008)

Squish 'em!


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## Corbin (Jun 3, 2008)

Don't have a clue.


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## SlipperFan (Jun 3, 2008)

Are they damaging your plants?


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## MoreWater (Jun 3, 2008)

SlipperFan said:


> Are they damaging your plants?



The million dollar question. I wish I knew. 

They are about 1/8" in diameter. Like mealies, they don't move most of the time, but around dusk they get around. They are mostly on the cork, but I also see them on the roots and leaves (esp. around dusk), and now I have some on the leaves of a gesneriad underneath. I'm just waiting for things to explode in there. The fact that it survived an orange cleaner bath (mealies, larvae, ants and spiders die from it) and orthene is not a good sign.


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## SlipperFan (Jun 3, 2008)

What happens if you spray them with a little alcohol?


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## JeanLux (Jun 4, 2008)

I have those black 'things' too, and I was suspecting them being eggs of slugs!!?? Is that possible?? Jean


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## MoreWater (Jun 4, 2008)

JeanLux said:


> I have those black 'things' too, and I was suspecting them being eggs of slugs!!?? Is that possible?? Jean



I think slug eggs are milky colored and they don't "crawl" along Angrecoid roots. I hope.

Will try to remember to take alcohol to the office tomorrow. I think a bottle of Lagavulin might do the trick.


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## NYEric (Jun 4, 2008)

They are the same bugs that you sometimes find in the shower, Squish them!


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## Ernie (Jun 4, 2008)

NYEric said:


> They are the same bugs that you sometimes find in the shower, Squish them!



Note to self: don't shower at NYEric's house.  

-Ernie


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## goldenrose (Jun 4, 2008)

My guess would be in the snail or scale family??? As Dot asked - are they doing any damage?


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## Leo Schordje (Jun 4, 2008)

Kill 'em, squish 'em, poison 'em. What ever they are.


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## NYEric (Jun 4, 2008)

Ernie said:


> Note to self: don't shower at NYEric's house.
> -Ernie


Not at my house but I've been to some fleabag motels!


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## MoreWater (Jun 4, 2008)

Leo Schordje said:


> Kill 'em, squish 'em, poison 'em. What ever they are.



:rollhappy: sounds like a good plan, but not an easy task. Maybe I'll fumigate before the next trip.


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