Vandas Strange Happenings

[Robin Jones]

Over the past year, every time certain Vandas bloom, after about a week, the blooms are devastated, like something has eaten all of the petals off of the blossoms, leaving only the central part of the flower. This only happens on certain Vandas (large blue flowered ones). I do not see any insects, and I do not find evidence of rats in my greenhouse. Recently the flowers were perfect and 7 days later gone, as if eaten by something. See before and after photos attached. I never had this problem until about 6 months ago.

HELP and THANKS

[Roberta]

Strongly suspect slugs. I find them on hanging plants in the unlikeliest of places... (If I didn't know better, I'd swear they fly...) Actually, they can crawl up walls, down hangers... and hide in media or foliage. They, or their eggs, can be in media when you get the plant, and hatch later. Or be deposited by a bird. If it were my plant, I'd be applying lots of slug/snail bait. And maybe checking on them at night - you might be able to catch the critters in the act).

Another possibility is caterpillars (or little green worms that are actually caterpillars) For those, BT (bacillis thuringiensis) is the only thing that will get them (pesticides won't... and BT is non-toxic to humans and adult insects) But these tend to do their damage and then leave (when they pupate and then become adults), and if this has been going on for 6 months I think slugs are more likely.

[Robin Jones]

Thanks Roberta,

I will check tonight.

[Robin Jones]

Does anyone have any other ideas? I checked around 10PM this evening and found nothing. No caterpillars and no slugs. Also, there are no "tracks" from slugs anywhere on or near the orchids. I will stll keep a close watch out to see if I can find what is doing this. Any ideas or suggestions would be most welcomed.

[jcec1]

Could it be cockroaches?

[Dollythehun]

Also earwigs. Are they potted? If potted or in baskets, you could flood them, standing them to the rim in water and flush the creatures out.

[Robin Jones]

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. I feel certain it is some varmit eating the blossoms. It is now my job to find out what it is. When I find out, I will let you know. The strange thing is that other Vandas with smaller blooms and different colors (red and purple) have not been touched. It seems whatever it is only goes for the large blue blossoms. Guess I have some detective work to do. Forgot to mention that the destruction took place almost overnight. One day they were beautiful and the next day, totally destroyed.
By the way, they are in hanging baskets, bare root, hanging from the ceiling of the greenhouse.

[Robin Jones]

I am pretty sure I have found the culprit. I put out some poison blocks used for rodents and found evidence of chewing on these along with some droppings in the area. Set a spring trap, which was sprung but the culprit got away. Almost positive the culprit is a chipmunk. I caught a chipmunk in a trap in the greenhouse a few months ago. Just never entered my mind that they would eat Vanda blossoms. As I mentioned earlier, the odd thing is that the animal is only attracted to the large blue Vanda flowers and no others. Guess chipmunks like blue. Who would have guessed? If I have further confirmation I will let you know.

[Dollythehun]

Kim at Fair Orchids recently had the same problem. Chipmonk? in greenhouse