# Red Mite suspected?



## Mocchaccino (Mar 28, 2012)

I noticed a few rusting spots near the tips of the older leaves when i purchased it, if not mistakenly about half a year ago. Later I found this problem becoming more serious. The new leaves were getting involved with the rusting problem while the older leaves were almost wholly 'covered' by these rusting spots. 

Another slipper, previously being healthy, seemed to be infected as well. I looked up some books and what i could come up was the red mite problem.

Any ideas?


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## Stone (Mar 28, 2012)

Get yourself a good magifying glass, you'll be amazed at what you see!!. The mites may have moved on by now but have a close look at your entire collection.


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## SlipperFan (Mar 28, 2012)

I suspect they are still there. Another way to detect them is to gently rub the underside of the leaf with a white tissue. You'll see red smears if red spider mites are present. 

There's another recent thread about mite control, and I'll repeat that I have very good success with getting rid of an infection on my Paphs and Phals a few years ago using Sucra-Shield from FirstRays.


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## Mocchaccino (Mar 29, 2012)

SlipperFan said:


> I suspect they are still there. Another way to detect them is to gently rub the underside of the leaf with a white tissue. You'll see red smears if red spider mites are present.
> 
> There's another recent thread about mite control, and I'll repeat that I have very good success with getting rid of an infection on my Paphs and Phals a few years ago using Sucra-Shield from FirstRays.



I took your advice to check their presence. Indeed I saw some red dots dropped off onto the white tissue paper after I rub the underside. I guess I am going to spray something for my entire collection.


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## SlipperFan (Mar 29, 2012)

Mocchaccino said:


> I took your advice to check their presence. Indeed I saw some red dots dropped off onto the white tissue paper after I rub the underside. I guess I am going to spray something for my entire collection.



Good choice -- they are so tiny you can't really see how far they have spread.


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## Mocchaccino (Mar 30, 2012)

SlipperFan said:


> Good choice -- they are so tiny you can't really see how far they have spread.



I hate those tiny bastards. I was just wondering why some of my paphs did not bloom at the right period of time. I guess some of them might be interfered by these mites.


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## Mocchaccino (Mar 31, 2012)

Today I sprayed my entire collection. Before spraying, I randomly select some of them which appears perfectly healthy to check the presence of red mites. Indeed, some of them did present a few mites, dropped off onto the white tissue paper. 

There is only one little problem. I was using Mitox - which I think it's a product of Hong Kong or China. Its active ingredient is Azocyclotin. It is a powder-form miticide. It advises the use of 1:1500 dilution to spray. The problem is I don't really know how this dilution be made. Is it a mass-to-volume ratio of 1 mg : 1500 mL water?


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## cnycharles (Mar 31, 2012)

the container should mention how much of the chemical in the package is necessary to get to that dilution. label should always tell you exactly how much of things to mix and how, and how to spray... at least for chems from the united states


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## Hera (Mar 31, 2012)

I've been having problems with my latouria dens and I couldn't figure it out. It looked like small depressions on the surface of the leaves. Today I found orange spots on some of the leaves. I decided to pull one off and look at it under a microscope. Sure enough there were spider mites and the orange spots were clusters of eggs. I can't believe how long this went on until I figured out what was causing the problem. I mean, I've been growing for about 9 years now. Little embarassed here...... 

This thread had perfect timing today. Thanks for all the info.


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## SlipperFan (Mar 31, 2012)

Hera, you are not alone!


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## abax (Apr 1, 2012)

I find Orthene 97% in the form of a drench to be very effective for just about any critter in the greenhouse.
I use it a 1 tsp. per gallon and it works incredibly well
with one application...maybe two for mites seven to ten
days apart. However, it does stink for a couple of days.


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## Stone (Apr 1, 2012)

Hera said:


> I've been having problems with my latouria dens and I couldn't figure it out. It looked like small depressions on the surface of the leaves. Today I found orange spots on some of the leaves. I decided to pull one off and look at it under a microscope. Sure enough there were spider mites and the orange spots were clusters of eggs. I can't believe how long this went on until I figured out what was causing the problem. I mean, I've been growing for about 9 years now. Little embarassed here......
> 
> This thread had perfect timing today. Thanks for all the info.



Now that you know they are there, well............now you know


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## Mocchaccino (Apr 1, 2012)

cnycharles said:


> the container should mention how much of the chemical in the package is necessary to get to that dilution. label should always tell you exactly how much of things to mix and how, and how to spray... at least for chems from the united states



Yes that's strange for the product. The total mass of the product is 50g, and that's it, nothing more. I don't really get an accurate dilution but I hope it does help. I am going to apply again a week later. Hope to eradicate more of the newly emerged mites.



Hera said:


> I've been having problems with my latouria dens and I couldn't figure it out. It looked like small depressions on the surface of the leaves. Today I found orange spots on some of the leaves. I decided to pull one off and look at it under a microscope. Sure enough there were spider mites and the orange spots were clusters of eggs. I can't believe how long this went on until I figured out what was causing the problem. I mean, I've been growing for about 9 years now. Little embarassed here......
> 
> This thread had perfect timing today. Thanks for all the info.



It's not embarrassing at all, truly. I took half a year to realize there's a problem with my collection. These mites were really tiny. Even if infected, some slippers do not show much symptoms. Until they are seriously infected, then you will see the rusty markings. Anyway, it's a lesson worth to learn.




abax said:


> I find Orthene 97% in the form of a drench to be very effective for just about any critter in the greenhouse.
> I use it a 1 tsp. per gallon and it works incredibly well
> with one application...maybe two for mites seven to ten
> days apart. However, it does stink for a couple of days.



I hope I can get that too. But there aren't much choice of miticides to choose from.


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## cnycharles (Apr 1, 2012)

I found this online
% solution = (dry mass in grams / volume in ml) * 100

so yes, your question 'do I use mass/volume, grams to ml' to mix up my 1500 solution? is correct


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## Mocchaccino (Apr 4, 2012)

Thanks Charles. I plan to buy a balance to measure accurately the grams I needed. 

4 days after the spray, I found that the mites were still there. Should I use a higher concentration, or should I just keep on repeating the spray?


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## DavidCampen (Apr 4, 2012)

Mocchaccino said:


> Thanks Charles. I plan to buy a balance to measure accurately the grams I needed.
> 
> 4 days after the spray, I found that the mites were still there. Should I use a higher concentration, or should I just keep on repeating the spray?



See page 6 of this article:
http://www.staugorchidsociety.org/PDF/Johnson-Mites.pdf

It says that while Orthene is labeled for mites it is not very effective. Mites are significantly different from true insects and so many effective insecticides are ineffective in controlling mites.

For mites I use abamectin (Avid), bifenazate (Floramite), etoxazole (Tetrasan) and bifenthrin (Talstar).

Avid and Talstar are also effective for many true insects (Talstar is a synthectic pyrethroid). Floramite and Tetrasan are specific for mites. Tetrasan is an ovacide (stops eggs from hatching) so it is good to use it in combination with one of the others.


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## surachais Thai (May 19, 2012)

Please visit www.irac-online.org>>>resources>>>key word "mite">>>MoA for Mites poster March 2012

you have to choose and alternate the chemical by MoA as possible because each country have different regulation and product in the market.

DavidCampen opinion is very useful information, read it clearly and follow.

hope your plant a good health.


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## abax (May 20, 2012)

Orthene 97% granular works quite well for red spider mites, thank you. Also you don't have to spray all over the place. It works best as a potting medium drench. For a very bad infestation, I alternate the use of Orthene with
Sunspray Horticultural oil and/or Safer's Insecticidal Soap. I've been using Orthene for many, many years and it is quite effective if used properly as a systemic drench.


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