Orchids, like many plants, are prone to a number of common pests. Sometimes treatment can be as simple as brushing the offending pest off the plant. In other cases, mild chemical sprays can help keep your orchid pest free without harm to you or the plant.

Get off to a good start by ensuring that any new plant acquired is isolated from the present ones for a ‘quarantine’ period. Many pests readily move from one plant to another. Keeping the new orchid isolated for inspection can help prevent spreading. Depending on conditions, that quarantine period may need to be as long as several weeks.

In many cases, problems can result from insects laying eggs in the orchid. One example is the Cattleya fly, which deposits eggs on the plant. The eggs hatch and the larvae feed, often creating considerable damage. When they fully emerge as a small fly they can devastate an orchid.

Treatment is simple using a commercial preparation designed to combat them. At the same time, it will protect the plant from several other varieties of harmful pest.

Treatment for infestations of the Cattleya beetle, for example, is similar. They are hard-shelled, shiny black bugs with curving beaks that can attack flowers, leaves or buds. They lay eggs at the tips of roots, so digging into the bark is necessary to spot them. When they feed on the roots, the plant can die very quickly.

Some insects feed more often in the dark, such as cockroaches, snails and slugs. Finding them by leaving off the lights and searching with a flashlight and hand removal is the easiest way to rid a plant without the use of chemicals. For those who prefer pesticides, common bait in the form of pellets is very handy and effective.

One way of preventing snails from getting to the plant in the first place is to surround the orchid pot with clean gravel or place them on a cement floor. Another method is to set the pot in vegetable oil. Pellets of Snarol or Buggetta can be used to keep snails and slugs at bay. To enhance the attractiveness of the bait, it can be mixed with rotten lettuce leaves.

Earwigs are another common invasive pest and can be controlled using similar bait. Laying newspaper around, on which they crawl during the night, then removing and burning, can help keep the population down without chemicals.

It is possible to use biological controls - one helpful organism can be used to combat a harmful one. The practice requires some homework, however. Ladybugs eat aphids, for example. But it’s important to not accidentally introduce an insect that will eliminate one species only to start consuming the orchid afterward.

Chemical treatments are available that are both safe and effective. Mealybugs are easily controlled by systemics that are absorbed through the leaves then spread throughout the plant to the roots where the pest may be feeding.

Some pests may be difficult to spot, such as mites, which are very small. But their effects will become obvious before too long. The leaves will become silvery looking on the underside. The top may form yellow spots. You may also be able to see their tiny webs.

Raising the humidity can help keep them under control. Washing the leaves regularly is also a good practice. Several commercially available chemicals can help protect your orchids from mites. Just spray once to kill the adults, then again to get the eggs or nymphs later.

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