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09-26-2024, 07:03 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Zone: 5b
Location: Ohio
Posts: 10,953
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The ones that I have came to me resistant and it has been a lovely time ever since. They really go for my banana, citrus, figs and coffee trees...and the two Phals. I never saw these until I began to collect orchids.
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09-26-2024, 08:27 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
Posts: 18,756
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I began using the immersion technique on cacti bought in California. Mealies are famous for living on the roots of cacti, crawling above to lay eggs in cases on spines. I suspect there are no effective insecticides used in nurseries in California, and almost every cactus or succulent I buy there arrives with mealy bugs.
I treat all of those newly arrived cacti with a dunk as soon as weather permits. It really does kill all the bugs and all the eggs.
I don't see scale nor mealy bugs on many orchids. When I do I dunk the plant. I have rarely had to dunk a second time. Most of the time the first dunk takes care of the problem.
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02-01-2025, 01:14 PM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 11
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Does Neem oil affect flower buds? I have a paph. spiking for the first time and have noticed mealybugs on the bud. I've wiped as many off as I could with an alcohol swab, but did not want to spray the bud yet. I would not think Neem oil would bother the bud, but wanted to see if anyone here had an experience with it.
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02-01-2025, 01:17 PM
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Super Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Zone: 10a
Location: Coastal southern California, USA
Posts: 13,995
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I can't offer experience on this one, but I think I'd prefer not to spray Neem on the buds. 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) is fine (and does kill mealies), a little soapy water shouldn't hurt either.
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Post Thanks / Like - 1 Likes
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02-01-2025, 01:21 PM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 11
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Thank you! I didn't want to take a chance on this because we know how painfully slow paphs are to grow and bloom so I was really excited to see it in bud. Then today I saw those irritating white spots 
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02-01-2025, 04:11 PM
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Super Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Zone: 10a
Location: Coastal southern California, USA
Posts: 13,995
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Mealies love Paphs almost as much as they love Phals. It is very satisfyinig to watch that alcohol disolve the waxy coating and leave the bare, easy-to-dispatch little bug. 
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02-01-2025, 05:19 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Victor Harbor Sth Australia
Posts: 929
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I use isopropyl alcohol for mealy bugs, the containers state it's 64%, (bit of a random number) but it still works well.
One spray and the mealy bugs turn grey.
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02-01-2025, 05:43 PM
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Super Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Zone: 10a
Location: Coastal southern California, USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diane56Victor
I use isopropyl alcohol for mealy bugs, the containers state it's 64%, (bit of a random number) but it still works well.
One spray and the mealy bugs turn grey.
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In the EU and maybe the UK, the standard for rubbing alcohol is 90%, I think, that's why I specified 70%. 64% is fine. I think that 90% is strong enough to damage flowers, probably needs a bit of dilution. But the variation in the product formulation definition across the planet does call out for specifics.
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02-01-2025, 07:25 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: Norman Oklahoma
Posts: 90
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I have brown soft scale on a Cattleya. 70% alcohol in a spray bottle gets em, especially since they like to get in the dry sheath around the pbulbs.
I find it very satisfying to squish the ones I see on the leaves.
After 3 months, I still see a few but hopefully, I have them on the run.
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