Orchid pests: thrips and podura, how to get rid of - photo and description of parasites

Description

Poduras are primitive wingless insects. of the Collembola family... Their size varies from 0.2 mm, some species can reach 10 mm.

Puffs are very small insects.

A characteristic feature of springtails is the presence of a jumping fork, which is an outgrowth in the back of the body, it allows some species to make jumps up to 3 cm in height. This trait allows you to distinguish podura from another pest of the orchid - the mealybug.

In the substrate of indoor plants, usually you can meet suckers white or grayish color, sometimes with a greenish tint.

Parasites? Tell me what kind of animal and how to deal with it?

October 21, 2008 5:10 pm [/ td]

Leg-tails, or podura Small jumping wingless insects of white color, 1-2 mm in size. Appear and multiply in large numbers with frequent excess watering. They develop in the soil, feed on plant debris, small plant roots. With strong reproduction, they can appear at the bottom of the pot at the drain or on the soil surface in the form of a white mass. They do not cause much harm, but their appearance suggests that an urgent need to reduce watering to prevent soil acidification and root rot.

Prevention: Moderate watering is necessary to prevent the appearance of gout. Control measures: When pests appear, carefully remove the topsoil by 2-3 cm and sprinkle the soil with dry sand. Sprinkling the soil with tobacco dust helps.

October 21, 2008 7:26 pm

Here's another bottom description of the pest:

These are insects living in the substrate, about 1-4 mm long, white or silvery-black in color. Most individuals have a bifurcated tail jumping device on the back, with which they can jump up to 3 cm in length. Podors prefer to live in a moist, compacted substrate, especially with a high content of sphagnum moss. When watering an infected plant with the naked eye, you can see how they jump in different directions. Podura do not have special preferences in temperatures and can actively reproduce already at a temperature of + 10 ° C. Symptoms:

In a small amount, podura practically do not bring any harm to the plant, since they are eaters of plant debris and substrate. Difficulties with them arise only when the population is too large, when, along with the bark, they begin to actively eat the bases of young shoots and roots of orchids. Most often, the harm it gets is expressed in the eaten tips of the roots, which sometimes can look like neat holes.

We can say that this pest is an indicator that it is time to transplant the orchid into a new, more breathable substrate. During transplantation, the roots of orchids must be thoroughly rinsed with warm water so as not to transfer the pest and its larvae to a new substrate. During transplantation, all rotten and dry roots are cut off to healthy tissue, and the cuts are disinfected, for example, sprinkled with activated carbon powder, covered with sulfur, treated with garlic solution or non-alcoholic antiseptics. After transplanting, the plant is not watered for at least a week. In the future, in dealing with an orchid, it is necessary to adhere to a policy of more economical watering.

In case of light infestation, it is usually enough to keep the orchid dry for a while, or to remove the top layer of the substrate and pour tobacco dust inside.

In addition, planters and pot trays should be carefully inspected, as water often collects there, which is an ideal breeding ground for the pest. Excess water is removed and pots and trays are disinfected.

Chemicals: Of the chemicals that do not harm orchid roots, only the German insecticide Carbofuran can be used.

What is the danger?

These insects do not pose any danger to orchids, as well as other plants, they like to hide in places with high humidity. In the springtail diet enters:

Bacterial plaque;
Mushroom mycelium;
Seaweed;
Mosses.

If the number of insects is too high, this indicates poor conditions of detention orchids associated with:

Low temperatures;
Poor lighting, etc.

It leads to:

Slowing down the growth of orchids;
Decreased immunity;
The emergence of diseases.

Damage caused

Single damage caused by a few suckers cannot do much harm to the plant. Large podura (1-1.5 mm) can inflict real and significant damage only on Saintpaulia seedlings. Seedlings at the stage of cotyledon leaf opening are completely eaten by collembolans.

The harm from gouges is also significant in cases where there are too many of them, and the temperature in the room is low. Plants weakened by unfavorable conditions slow down their growth and development and cannot regenerate normally. The multiple damage inflicted by podura in such conditions becomes an open gateway for a wide variety of fungal and bacterial infections, which can not only weaken, but also destroy part of the plants in your collection.

Photo 4. Shoot of Saintpaulia, eaten by podura.

The reasons for the appearance of gum in the substrate

In a springtail flower pot, as a rule, are entered together with the soil... Part of the insects, sensing moisture, can creep out and capture neighboring plants.

Puffs are brought in together with low-quality soil.

Too frequent and abundant watering is usually the start for intensive reproduction of insects, which can also lead to decay and root diseases.

Attention! Large colonies of springtails jumping in the substrate are an indicator of constant waterlogging of the soil and an indicator of improper agricultural practices.

Their appearance testifies about the need withchanging the conditions of keeping and watering the plant.

Prophylaxis

As practice shows, it is easier to prevent the infection of plants with podura than to treat them later. Preventive measures:

It is better to purchase plants only in specialized stores, where sellers can provide all the necessary documentation and quality certificates.
It is important to provide a good drainage layer to prevent excessive moisture build-up.
Choose the right planting material.
Provide proper care for the plant, taking into account all its individual needs.
Systematically conduct an external examination of the plants (experienced gardeners recommend doing this at least once every two weeks).
If you notice an infected plant, it must be urgently isolated from the rest to prevent the spread of pests.

Pigtail will never start in a regularly cleaned room, and there is no mold.

Control methods

Folk remedies

How to get rid of gimmicks at home? If a small amount of suckers has appeared in the substrate, do not rush to use chemical plant protection products, they can bring more harm to the orchid than a few insects.

When pests appear orchid primarily:

Isolate to prevent the spread of podura to other plants;
Mechanical soil cleaning is carried out.

Good results can be achieved:

By spreading the bait in the form of raw potatoes cut into pieces on the substrate around the plant. In a few days, a large number of springtails will accumulate on it, which are easy to collect and eliminate;
When you immerse a flower with a pot for 20 minutes in water. All adults will emerge in the water, after which they are collected and destroyed.

In addition, there are a number of other home methods for controlling these insects.

Herbal decoctions medicinal herbs. These decoctions have long been prepared to combat various harmful insects:

Chamomile, calendula, dandelion, yarrow flowers... To prepare a decoction, 20 g of dry plants are poured into 0.5 liters of water, everything is brought to a boil and removed after ten minutes. Cool at room temperature, filter and process the affected plants;
Infusion of marigolds... Faded marigolds together with leaves are poured with hot water in a ratio of 1: 1 and insisted for two days.

After processing the orchid with herbal decoctions the date of spraying should be recordedto repeat the procedure after 7-10 days.

Herbal infusions are made against sugars.

You can also use other solutions:

Mustard solution. To prepare the solution, mustard powder (15 g) is poured into 1 liter of hot water, infused for 2 days. The plant is sprayed with the resulting preparation, and the soil is poured with dry mustard;
Mulching the soil with birch wood ash... A good result in the fight against springtails is obtained after sprinkling the soil with wood ash (best of all birch) with a layer of one or two centimeters;
Anti-flea shampoo for animals... Unexpected effectiveness was shown by a solution with the addition of flea shampoo. For cooking 1 tbsp. l. the shampoo is dissolved in a bucket of water, the plant and the substrate are sprayed. After a short time after processing, the podura orchids disappear.

Important! An effective method for eliminating springtails is to replace the substrate. The orchid is transplanted after thoroughly rinsing the roots in running warm water.

The listed measures, which are applied individually or in combination, are sufficient to protect indoor plants from any number of springtails.

Fitoverm

Fitoverm is natural pesticide, which is obtained during microbiological cultivation of the producer fungus. The drug is environmentally friendly, as a result of which its effect on the orchid will be minimal:

The insect absorbs the drug with food, as a result of which the poison affects only sexually mature individuals and larvae. Podura eggs, after treatment with phytoverm, remain viable, therefore, after 6-7 days, it is necessary to re-spray;
Fitoverm do not mix with others insecticides or fungicides.

To spray an orchid, 2 ml of the drug is dissolved in 50 ml of water, 0.1 l of solution is consumed per plant.

Chemicals

If it was not possible to get rid of the larvae and adults by the methods described above, then chemical preparations should be used. Currently, there are a number of tools that have shown effective against springtails:

Bazudin - a powdery agent, it is scattered in a thin layer over the surface of the substrate. As a result, after a few hours the springtails will not annoy the plant;
Initiative - is used similarly to bazudin. To increase the efficiency of the process, the scattered preparation is mixed with a small amount of earth;
Aktara - a universal preparation, used in the form of a solution that is used to water the soil, dilute it according to the instructions;
Mospilan - also used for processing soil from podura in the form of a solution.

Chemicals effectively help in the fight against podura.

These drugs will help deal with pests. for a short time.

Precautions

When working with insecticides, it is necessary to compliance with safety rules:

Children and pets are not allowed to the sprayed orchid;
Work with insecticides is carried out in gloves and a respirator;
After the end of the work, the tools are thoroughly washed, stored in a separate place;
In case of contact with the skin, the insecticide is washed off with water and detergents. If the product gets into the eyes, rinse with running water;
When carrying out work, it is prohibited to eat and drink.

Used ampoules or packaging wrapped in polyethylene and thrown away, the remaining solution is poured into the sewer.

Important! Subject to the instructions for working with the insecticide, it does not have a harmful effect on the orchid.

Chemical attack

Chemical preparations of an insecticidal type make it possible to get rid of parasites quickly and completely, but they can be dangerous to the health of the inhabitants of the dwelling, and even to the plant itself. Orchids are very delicate plants. Therefore, chemistry should be applied when there is a significant population of sugars and using all usual protective measures.

The preparation "Bazudin", which is scattered in a thin layer on the surface of the soil in a pot, has a good reputation among home gardeners. A similar effect is produced by the "Pochin" produced in the form of granules. After sprinkling the soil, both preparations are mixed with its top layer.

Preventive actions

To exclude re-infection by podura, necessary:

Buy flowers in specialized stores, which will reduce the risk of pest infestation;
Provide the orchid with good drainage and air circulation;
Observe the correct watering regime and optimal humidity in the room;
If necessary, transplant the orchid, while washing the pot and changing the substrate;
Exclude excessive application of organic fertilizing.

Signs of infection

It is not difficult to determine that the indoor culture has been affected by a dangerous parasite. This will be highlighted by several symptoms:

If the moisture content of the soil increases significantly, then a whitish bloom forms on its surface. It is in it that small insects are kept.
Matured individuals with a two-millimeter body lead an active lifestyle, jumping in every possible way and demonstrating their activity.
The elongated body of the suboras can have a different color: from white to brown.
Small creatures quickly move to the upper parts of the flower, spending a significant part of their time in the surface soil layers. The active reproduction of the colony, the deterioration of the temperature regime and the level of moisture contributes to the rapid "occupation" of the roots and leaves, from which the podura suck the nutritious juice.

What means to get rid of aphids on indoor flowers

Currently, scientists distinguish several main varieties of springtails: white, vegetable, mushroom. Representatives of the first species eat the upper soil layer, often attack greenhouse and greenhouse plants grown in conditions of high moisture. Vegetable podura are a danger to all ornamental plantings that grow indoors. They interfere with the normal formation of green mass and suspend their normal development.

As for fungal pests, this species affects young shoots, mushroom seedlings and bulbous flowers.

Springtail species:

You can often find in the literature the name "springtail collembola". It should be understood that this is not the name of a specific species, but the Latin name for a whole class of these parasites.

White springtail

This is the most famous type of parasite in question. Adult white springtails do not reach more than two millimeters in length. They have a cylindrical body, a distinctive jumping apparatus.Not much harming houseplants, because they prefer to feed on the top layer of soil. The species is more harmful in greenhouses and greenhouses, where the humidity is very high.

Mushroom springtail

It can harm not only plants, but also mushrooms, which are grown in high humidity. The parasite can penetrate deeply into the tissues of plants and fungi, it is dangerous for young shoots of many vegetables, as well as bulbous flowers.