Bug Clear Ultra - vine weevil killer

[eds]

I am fighting an irritating battle with mealy bugs and looking for a solution!

This side of the pond our chemical options are more limited and systemic insecticides are like hen's teeth! Unfortunately with some of my phalaenopsis hybrids the usual rubbing alcohol with cotton buds simply doesn't get into tight spaces and the same with some succulents.

The active ingredient is 5g/l acetamiprid.

I know people who have used it as a root drench for cacti and succulents but does anyone know if it is safe for orchids? And is it safe for species Paphiopedilum as a precautionary treatment to try and wipe the little b****rs out?!

 

[KateL]

Hi ed, i just put a spray bottle sprayer right on my rubbing alcohol bottle and drench the little monsters. But they also hide in the media so you may need to repot.

 

[eds]

Thanks Kate, I was worried too much 70% IPA in the crowns would cause problems! I guess not?

I would still prefer a systemic insecticide treatment as a one off for the phals if anyone knows about this or other acetamiprid products?

 

[myxodex]

I've not tried the vine weevil version,
but the general Bug Clear Ultra for ornamentals, fruit and veg. The stuff worked for scale on my paphs with out any harm to them. The active ingredient concentration is exactly the same. The dose for ornamentals was 10 ml/litre. This reminds me to get another bottle; it works, but I think the active ingredient belongs to a class of insecticide which could end up being banned.

The other thing to try is a mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and hydrogen peroxide. You need to get a fairly concentrated bottle of peroxide so you make up 5 to 7 % peroxide in distilled water, then add 30ml of that to 70 mls of IPA to give 70% IPA with the peroxide. This mixture only lasts for a few weeks. If you get it on your skin, it turns your skin white and stings like crazy, but at least then you know it's good to go (sort of quality control). It works for mealy bugs because it penetrates their fluffy coat and delivers the peroxide as it dries out. I used it successfully with my neos where they hide in the leaf axils. I have a small glass bottle with a spray like a perfume spray and I use it locally, spraying into the leaf axils. The issue with neos was that the mealy bugs always went for those leaf axils that had spike nubbins and sometimes this treatment blasted the spike, but then the mealy bugs can do that all on their own anyway so it's hard to tell. Nonetheless the majority of spikes are saved by this method.

 

[Ray]

Generally, anything that is recommended for roses can be safely used on orchids at the same dosage. There are bound to be exceptions, but I've not seen many.

The problem with mealy bugs is that they populate the root system in addition to the exposed part of the plant, and no alcohol or soap spray is going to get them. The trick is to spray the plants AND soak the medium with a listed insecticide, then repeat two more times at one-week intervals. Most pesticides only affect adults, so the multiple treatment regimen increases the odds of killing just-matured adults before they can reproduce.

 

[eds]

Thanks Ray. Looks like I'll try a combination of the above advice and try and knock the little b****rs out! Found some red spider mite on a Cymbidium today too!