How to rid an orchid of spider mites? Causes of the parasite, recommendations for control and prevention

Pests on indoor plants are always a nuisance and additional trouble for the gardener. Spider mites on an orchid are a special problem, because the pest arthropod is very small in size, and it is very difficult to notice it without a magnifying glass. Sometimes it becomes clear about the presence of ticks after a significant increase in the colony of parasites, forming up to 20 generations per season under favorable conditions.

Characteristics of an insect

Definition

The spider mite is a rather dangerous parasite that attacks the orchid . It does not belong to insects, but belongs to arachnids. This is a very distant relative of spiders and scorpions. A distinctive feature is the number of limbs (the tick has 4 pairs, and all other insects have only 3). There are about 1000 species in the family, some individuals have adapted to life even in Antarctica.

How is it different from other types?

• The tick has the ability to weave a thin web, which explains its name.
• The development of young animals slows down if the humidity is too high.
• Loves dry and warm climates.
• Spider mites can cause fungal, viral, and bacterial diseases.
• Parasitizes only on plants.
• Has 8 legs and a solid body.
• It has compound eyes, antennae and wings.

You can learn more about other types of ticks, as well as see photos and methods of controlling these pests here.

What does it look like?

The body is oval in shape, dimensions vary between 0.3-0.6 millimeters .
The shade depends on what the tick consumes; most often the color is reddish or green. Although adults have 4 pairs of legs, their movements are constrained and slow. During its life, the pest weaves a web that envelops the buds, foliage, and flower stem. It protects subsequent generations from external factors. Spider mites develop very quickly. Reaches maturity after 15-20 days. A newly emerged tick has only 6 legs; after 2-3 days, 2 more appear.

Folk recipes

Why is it dangerous?

Description of the hazard

Attention! The danger is that the parasite multiplies rapidly, and its appetites grow exorbitantly.

The mite instantly damages the connections of the flower. Hides under fallen leaves and in the ground. The level of danger depends on the number of individuals and the area affected. Consequences for the orchid - the stem weakens, the intensity of photosynthesis decreases. Ticks can cause various infections. If you don’t start fighting it in time or choose the wrong method, there is a considerable chance of destroying not only the orchid, but also other indoor plants.

How does a flower strike?

At first, the spider mite drinks juices from the axils of the flower, the base of the stem. In the first days, the mite lives on the walls of the container, and then crawls onto the orchid itself . For a certain period of time he is in the so-called “sleep”. But when favorable conditions come, the pest begins to actively reproduce. The parasite is located on the inside of the leaf, after some period it pierces the leaf blade and drinks juice from it. White spots and areas with cobwebs are a clear sign of a tick.

Description of pests

Orchids are one of the most beautiful flowers in the world, but these delicate plants are often attacked by various parasites. There are certain prerequisites for the development of such negative phenomena.

Entomologists say that a tick is not an insect, but an arthropod. The peculiarity of these creatures is their phenomenal survival rate in a wide variety of conditions. The difficulty is that the false spider mite is microscopic in size and it is extremely difficult to see it on flowers. Its parameters do not exceed half a millimeter, and the color of the body depends on the color of the plant it eats. The chitinous cover of these insects can be red or green.

Adult mites have eight legs, but their movement throughout the plant is extremely leisurely. While eating an orchid, the mite simultaneously weaves a web that envelops the stems and buds of the plant. If there is a cobweb, this means that new generations of pests will be born in the near future.

This parasite is dangerous because it multiplies exponentially. In just 2-3 weeks, the larva turns into an adult. This creature lives no more than 40 days, but this is enough for it to destroy the plant. The favorite delicacy of such insects is plant juices: the mite bites through the epidermis of the orchid and injects it with a special enzyme that dissolves the cells. A nutritious biomass appears, which the parasite sucks out.

At the site of the lesion, yellowness, white plaque, and cobwebs form, and after a short time this area dies. If the finest cobwebs appear on the flowers and buds of an orchid, this indicates that there are many parasites on the plant; urgent measures must be taken to eliminate them. Various parasites additionally penetrate into areas affected by ticks:

• viruses;
• fungus;
• pathogenic bacteria.

Generations of mites live in large numbers in fertile soil; they can be seen with a magnifying glass. The following types of mites “love” the orchid.

• Root. This parasite has 6 legs, a mustache and a body shaped like an elongated oval. It has good resistance and can go without food for several months. A favorite delicacy is the root system of various plants.
• Red spider mite. One of the most common. Tolerates poisonous drugs well. The color of the calf can be yellow and even bright orange.
• Bulbous. It has a size of no more than 0.5 mm, and this parasite is extremely clumsy. The color is dark brown, the body is oval. There are short bristles on the body.
• Armored mite. Looks like a spider and feeds on plant roots.

There are also a number of parasites that are very harmful to orchids.

• Thrips. These are gray flies that appear due to overdrying of the plant. Thrips feed on sap, so the flower dies within a week or two.
• Mealybugs. They manifest themselves with a white coating that looks like frost. They also feed on flower juice, representing a medium degree of danger.
• Shield. These are flies that are covered with a dense black shell. When an insect is in the larval stage, it is not easy to detect it; you need to use a magnifying glass.
• Common aphid. Appears on many plants. The insect is very fond of young leaves and flower petals. Due to their size, aphids are clearly visible on the leaves.
• Fools. These are microscopic beetles that live in the substrate and are very fond of the root system. They reproduce if there is low temperature and abundant watering.

How to inspect a plant?

Unfortunately, the human eye can only notice it when most of the sheet is damaged. In the initial stage of reproduction, it is almost impossible to see a spider mite with the naked eye.

Signs of spider mites:

• Light spots form on the plates, which become larger over time.
• The orchid is gradually withering.
• The leaves curl and dry out.
• Manifestation of the web.

Important! Young and succulent leaves come under attack, and from them the mite moves onto the plant itself.

Types of the most frequent and uninvited “guests” and measures to combat them

Spider mite

The most terrible and difficult to remove pests on orchids are spider mites. Spider mites appear on orchids due to dry air in apartments and high temperatures, and it is possible that they enter houses through slightly open windows in the spring-summer period or with a gifted bouquet. Like all other pests, mites drink the sap, which leads to the death of the flower.

Ticks cannot be detected with the naked eye; in order to see them, you need to use a magnifying glass with a magnification of twenty times or more. If you noticed cobwebs on an orchid, but did not find any spiders, then you know that a spider mite has settled on it and since the cobwebs are already visible, then the damage is already serious because at first the cobwebs are not visible. A red mite may also appear on an orchid; it is easier to detect because of its color; on the back of the leaf there will be red spots, grains or streaks.

It is difficult to fight ticks because they are not just insects, but arachnids, and insecticides cannot be used to combat them. To get rid of ticks you need to use acaricides or insectoacaricides. The first step is to rinse the plant with water to reduce the number of mites. Then treat with acaricides (Sunmite, Apollo, Actellik, Fufanon, Nissoran, Oberon, Actofit, Fitoverm) 3 or 4 treatments at a five-day interval. A tick is a very insidious “animal” capable of adapting, and therefore, to successfully exterminate the population, different chemicals should be used so that ticks do not become addicted.

Thrips

Thrips appear as a result of high temperatures

When infected by this pest, the color of the leaves changes to a lighter color and “pressed” dots and streaks appear on the back of the leaf, sometimes they can be silver in color. Thrips drinks the cell sap, which leads to the death of the flower. To reduce the thrips colony, plants should be washed under a warm shower, then treated with insecticides (Aktara, Actellik, Actofit) three times with an interval of 5–10 days, depending on the drug chosen.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are white bugs on the orchid that leave a white coating similar to cotton wool. Appears as a result of improper care. It can be found between and under leaves, hiding in hard-to-reach places. A cotton pad or toothpicks will help get rid of all visible specimens. Then you need to wash the plant. After this, be sure to treat the plant with an insecticide; Aktara works best; it can be watered and sprayed. Spraying should be carried out 3 times with a break of 7 days. After watering, the protective effect lasts for a month.

Aphid

Aphids appear quite rarely on orchids, but nevertheless such cases are not excluded and you need to know how to get rid of them. Due to dry air in the apartment or when the plant is rarely watered and often gets too dry, aphids may appear. These are green or blackish insects that can be seen with the naked eye. Aphids often leave sticky drops on the leaves. But if you find sticky droplets on the leaves, but have not identified any pests, do not rush to treat the plant with chemicals; this may be the “nectar” that the orchid secretes when over-watered, and not the tricks of aphids.

If there are still aphids on the orchid, how to get rid of them? First, you should rinse the flower under water, you can wipe it with a soap solution (household soap or “green soap” is used for plants), then treat it with an insecticide (Aktofit, Fitoverm, Aktara). Treatments should be carried out 2-3 times with a break of 5-8 days.

Fools

The least dangerous, but no more pleasant pest, are fools. Podura in orchids are small white or gray bugs that live in the substrate or on its surface. Poduras appear due to waterlogging of the substrate and feed on rotting barks; the upper part of plants rarely falls under their “menu”, but nevertheless, rot and bacteria can develop in places damaged by poduras, especially in a favorable period for this (cold, lack of light , excessive watering).

Fighting them is not particularly difficult: you need to thoroughly dry the substrate in the pot with the orchid, and then spray it with an insecticide (Aktara, Fitoverm). One treatment will be enough, but it is better to carry out two. It is necessary to adjust the watering so as not to flood the plant and not provoke the appearance of pods.

Photo

The photo shows what an orchid looks like when it is infected with spider mites.

Which parts of the flower are affected?

Depending on the family, mites settle in the substrate, on leaf blades, or at the growing point. Active life activity harms green mass, buds, peduncles, flowers, and roots.

• in places of bites, the leaves lose juice along with chlorophyll cells. The damage gradually spreads to the entire flower, the plates acquire a marbled coating, turn brown, and finally dry out;
• living in the substrate, damage the root system. Feeding on plant tissue, large colonies turn roots into dust.

Peculiarity! A pest is a carrier of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Along with damage from their vital activity, infectious lesions develop. The first sign is wet spots on the foliage.

Step-by-step instructions on how to get rid of

Changing the conditions of detention

Ticks develop quickly in dry air , so humidity should be optimal.

It can be increased like this:

• Complete watering.
• Place the flower in a plastic bag.
• Keep it this way for at least 3 days.

This procedure will increase moisture and kill the enemy.

Important! The created greenhouse effect can negatively affect the pet. It is not recommended to do this for more than 3 days. Signs of wilting are noticed - the package is opened slightly or completely removed.

Washing with dishwashing detergent

How to fight the parasite at home using detergents? You will need to make a solution of 1 tablespoon per 1 liter of liquid. It is allowed to carry out treatment with ordinary water mixed with soap. The number of ticks will drop significantly. It is also worth thoroughly wiping the place where the pot stood. Parts of the plant that are severely damaged are removed and disinfected.

Treatment with special preparations

You can use biological, chemical and folk remedies . Pesticides include "Aktelik" - treatment is done 2 times with an interval of a week. Since the drug is too poisonous, it can only be used outdoors. One ampoule is diluted in a liter of water. Spray with the resulting solution. There is another remedy called Apollo.

The application is effective against larvae. The impact on mature individuals is negligible. Dilute 2 milliliters of Apollo in 5 liters of liquid, and then treat the orchid twice.

• Akarin . After just a few hours, the spider mite stops consuming the juice and dies on the second day. Dosage: 2 milliliters of chemical per 4 liters of water. It is enough to spray 4 times.
• Fitoverm . The composition includes products of the vital activity of soil inhabitants. Processing is done indoors. You need to mix 3 milliliters of the substance and 2 liters of water. As in the previous case, 4 times is enough.

Folk methods of struggle

1. You need to take rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs. Gently wipe the affected parts of the orchid with a pre-moistened swab. But first you need a test - a small area is wetted. The cobwebs have disappeared, and the plant has a healthy appearance - you can continue the procedure.
2. Citrus peels weighing 100 grams are filled with water, boiled, and then infused for 3 days. Spray every 4-5 hours.

Optimal conditions for the appearance of mites on orchids

Spider mites prefer dry air and high temperatures, so they attack weakened plants kept in such conditions. They reproduce in closed ground when the thermometer is not lower than 12 degrees Celsius. About 20 generations are produced annually, the full development cycle of one generation lasts from 12 to 20 days, and it decreases with increasing air temperature. The optimal range is 28–32 degrees above zero with air humidity no more than 45–50%, when the complete transformation into an adult spider mite occurs in 6–6.5 days.

Flat beetles develop year-round in closed ground and do not show any special preferences for environmental conditions. Increasing air humidity, which slows down the development of spider mites, is not always effective for flat beetles.

The bulb mite develops more actively at high indoor temperatures, for example, at 26–28 degrees, the full cycle from egg to adult is 10–11 days, while at 20 degrees it takes more than 2 weeks.

Arthropods enter a room in several ways:

• with contaminated substrate;
• with a new specimen of the orchid collection purchased at a flower shop or arrived from a greenhouse;
• with a gust of wind through an open window;
• on the clothes of a person who stopped next to the affected plant.

Infection prevention and precautions

It’s not enough to know how to get rid of pests; you also need to do periodic prevention :

• Maintaining normal moisture.
• Treat once a month with a biological preparation.
• Remove fallen leaves in a timely manner.
• Maintain optimal temperature.

The orchid is a capricious, but surprisingly beautiful plant. You can achieve colorful flowering and healthy bushes with proper and high-quality care. To prevent mite infection, it is necessary to regularly spray the orchid with water or weak biological solutions.

On our website you will find advice from our experts on what to do if you notice small insects, beetles, mealybugs, scale insects, black or white midges on your orchid or in the soil.

Preventive measures

To prevent ticks from getting on an orchid, you need to follow a number of simple rules:

1. Water the plant regularly (as the top layer of soil dries out).
2. Maintain indoor air humidity. It must be at least 60%.
3. Periodically shower the flower with a hot shower (the water temperature should be comfortable for the skin of your hands). This will reveal the cobwebs and partially wash away the parasites.
4. Remove dry leaves and flower stalks in a timely manner.
5. Regularly inspect the plant for damage.

The mite is extremely dangerous for the orchid , because it can not only spoil its appearance, but also destroy it. Therefore, it is important to follow preventive measures and act immediately if a parasite is detected. If there are few pests, there is always a chance to restore your pet. Well, if the flower is already badly damaged, you can transplant it into a new substrate or try to root healthy shoots.