How to control scale insects on orchids? These methods are simple and effective

Morphological characteristics

　　OrchidScale insects, commonly known as orchid lice, are pests with piercing-sucking mouthparts. The female's scale is elongated, with the abdomen protruding on both sides, and yellow; the male's scale is slender, about 1 mm long, white, with a dark longitudinal back, the shell spot pale yellowish-brown, extending out from one end of the scale. Eggs are pale yellow, oval, about 0.1 mm long. Newly hatched nymphs are oval, yellowish-brown.

Occurrence pattern

This pest has 2 to 3 generations per year, overwintering as fertilized adult females on orchid leaves. In May of the following year, eggs are laid inside the female's scale; the newly hatched nymphs crawl out of the female's scale, and after a short period of crawling, they settle on the main veins, leaf margins and other parts of orchid leaves, sucking sap and causing damage, and gradually form a scale. In August the second generation of nymphs appears, and between September and October they mature, emerge and mate.

Damage situation

Damage is generally most severe from June to September. Orchid lice often gather at the base and veins of orchid leaves to suck nutrients, secreting large amounts of pathogens. Stems and leaves turn moldy brown, causing various diseases, photosynthesis is blocked, and orchid growth weakens. In severe cases, pale yellow small spots and yellow spots appear on the leaves, then gradually expand, until the entire leaf turns yellow, loses its green color and drops off, and even the whole plant dies.

Control methods

1. When only a small number occur, use a soft toothbrush or small palm brush to gently brush them off along the leaves, or use a thin bamboo strip to scrape the insects off.

2. The growing environment and orchid pots must be well ventilated and let light through, and the potting soil should not be too wet.

3. You can use 80% dichlorvos emulsion plus 1000 to 1500 times water to make a solution and spray to kill them 2 times, once a week.

4. Apply 5 to 8 grams of 5% carbofuran around the potting soil, water once, and they can be killed after 7 days.

5. When the disease is found, isolate the affected plants to prevent contagion.