They cunningly hide under a shell of white wax while they drain the lifeblood of orchids. Mealybugs are one of the most common pests on popular houseplants. You can find out how to successfully fight the parasites here.
How to combat mealybugs on orchids?
To combat orchid mealybugs, you can use home remedies such as water and alcohol or use natural predators such as the predatory Australian ladybird and parasitic wasp, both of which effectively eat mealybugs and eliminate the pest colonies.
You can recognize the infestation by these symptoms
Mealybugs hide their 0.5 cm small, oval body under a waxy protective layer. This shell keeps moisture and predators out. It is these tiny cotton balls on the leaves and shoots that primarily catch the eye. Due to its explosive reproduction, the affected orchid is covered with white webs within a short time. In addition, the following symptoms signal a mealybug infestation:
- The missing plant sap weakens the orchid's entire constitution
- The leaves deform, wither and fall off
- Shoots and buds are stunted
Since mealybugs are masters of camouflage, their presence is only noticeable when large colonies have already formed. Therefore, please take a regular look at the undersides and leaf axils, because this is where the dilemma usually begins.
Home remedies to combat mealybugs in the early stages
As long as lice are just establishing themselves on a plant, use home remedies to kill the parasites. The following methods have proven to be effective in practice:
- Shower the orchid upside down with as strong a jet of water as possible
- Then soak a cloth with alcohol to wipe the leaves and shoots
- Dip cotton swabs in rubbing alcohol to dab individual mealy bugs in the leaf axils
For further treatment, isolate the orchid from other plants so that the pests do not spread further. In the quarantine room, spray the troubled orchid every 2 days with a mixture of 1 liter of water, 1-2 tablespoons of soft soap and 1 splash of spirit. Ready-made soap solutions (€4.00 on Amazon) are now also available from specialist retailers.
These insects like to eat mealybugs
If a high level of infestation has already developed, you will no longer be able to achieve effective control with home remedies. Instead of resorting to chemical insecticides, get effective help from the animal kingdom. The following predators are available from specialist retailers and enthusiastically hunt for mealybugs on your orchids:
- The larvae of the Australian ladybird (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri)
- The parasitic wasp (Leptomastix dactylopii)
The parasitic wasp is only active at a room temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. In contrast, the predatory ladybird feels comfortable at normal room temperatures and destroys countless mealybugs during its approximately 50-day lifespan. Once the pest colonies have been eliminated, the ladybirds migrate to look for new pastures.
Tip
Mealybugs are booming in winter. The dry heating air in living spaces provides long-term support for pests. Often introduced through the purchase of new houseplants, the lice are now multiplying explosively. By increasing the humidity to more than 60 percent, you can eliminate mealybugs.
