NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! - Orchid Board

WhiteRabbit · #1 05-03-2012, 08:29 PM

Something has chewed on my long awaited (over 3 1/2 years) Wilsonara buds

A plant I got in bloom Sept '08 - this is it's first spike since then. Looks like maybe 4 buds are ok still. I soaked the pot in soapy water, and sprayed the plant well with water/alcohol/dish soap. Found an earwig floating in the soapy water after soak. I don't think those would eat the buds tho

Hopefully can still get a few blooms from it

Gin · #2 05-03-2012, 10:25 PM

Sorry Wabbit that stinks.

Bud · #3 05-03-2012, 10:30 PM

I am glad you still have some flowers to show us...if you waited for more than 3 years ...you must have some blooms

gnathaniel · #4 05-03-2012, 10:37 PM

Aahhh that sucks! Slugs, snails, and grasshoppers usually seem to be the culprits when mine get eaten.

Maybe it'll re-spike soon...

--Nat

Leafmite · #5 05-03-2012, 10:38 PM

Those guys always chewed up my roses until I started to faithfully use systemic.

shadytrake · #6 05-03-2012, 10:39 PM

Grasshoppers love the Onc intergenerics. I had such a problem with them years ago. You might have one hanging about.

That's a bummer.

WhiteRabbit · #7 05-03-2012, 10:52 PM

Thanks everyone - I do think perhaps a grasshopper, as I haven't seen anything on this plant - I've moved it to another location, hopefully that will spare the remaining buds. Honestly - a couple of days ago, I saw one of the buds looked like something happened to it, but I thought I had done it, but today saw the buds at the top of the spike were half gone as well. *sigh*

Had some issues with pests on other orchids recently as well, but the culprits are known - aphids on Den kingianum (lost a good amount of buds), snails on a Cym (but was in bloom a while before they got to it at least) - but both of those have been reliable bloomers, so the Wilsonara buds being eaten are more upsetting to me.

Gin - it sure does stink!

Bud - Yes! I must! hopefully there will be a few

Nat - think it will be awhile before there's a chance for another spike - several months at least - but hopefully I won't have to wait years again! lol

Leafmite - previously I haven't had too much trouble with pests - roses do get aphids, I spray them off with water when I notice them, usually aren't doing a ton of damage tho - have at times gotten snails and/or aphids on cyms, but snails I pull of, spray aphids off or get 'em with the water/soap/alcohol spray - usually not much damage done.

Melissa - yeah - I think you may be right since I don't see evidence of anything else ...