Large infestation of scales?

[grad2k1rulz]

I have quite a variety of plants I am caring for 3 of them being orchids. I bought this rather large 4ft tall orchid from dillions of all places (around mothers day) and over the past couple of months these white things have been taken over. Are they scales? They don't appear to move, are too small to see anything other than blob, they have taken over one long leaf and are starting on a second. I am using Sectracide Immunox 3n1 Insect & Disease Control Plus Fertilizer as an experiment to see if that takes them out, I'm also not going by the directions dosage because I don't see how spraying it once every 10days would work, I'm going to go for once every couple days and then try wiping it off to see if I have killed any of the buggers. The pictures were taken before treatment.

I have also read that White oil would work?

Others believe that throwing it out and getting a new plant is best lol. So, my question is what has worked for people? Or is this something else entirely?

[billc]

Hi, and welcome!
I don't know exactly what that is, but you do have it BAD! I wouldn't be using a wimpy insecticide + fertilizer combo. If that were mine, I'd give each leaf a good wipe down with alcohol. Then with a Q-tip soaked in alcohol, I'd get into the little nooks and crannies that wiping couldn't reach. Then give it a good drenching spray with Bayer 3in1, or Neem. You may have to wipe the leaves and use the Qtip over several days. I would only use the spray again after 4-5 days. Also, get it away from any other plants.

Bill

[grad2k1rulz]

Thank you very much for your advise, I just found the same advise listed on the site attached. I will start doing that right away and post the results!

What has thrown me is that they appear much smaller then scales that I have found pictures of online. They are also the wrong color for the ones that I have found that are very small. But, otherwise, the dots behave like scales slowly spreading through the plant.

http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about1665.html

[trdyl]

It is a little hard to tell from your photo. It is possible. Take a look at the link. To make sure. If what your using does not do the job malathion will.

Scale Insects on Orchids

[grad2k1rulz]

Thanks for the link, I think it looks like some breed of Boisduval's scale.

Here is a pic of the same spot before after doing a treatment using alcohol. I found that using a fine cloth that I could feel through worked really well. I wet down the bugs first then carefully wiped them off. I used different edges of the cloth when it got too dirty and they came off really easily. On close inspection I will do another treatment if the ones left behind end up living and start coming back. For now though, I want to see if merely dousing them in alcohol ends up killing them. For the bottom stems I put a couple drops of alcohol in the slots to drown whatever may be living where I cannot reach. Hopefully, it will not damage the orchid. I plan on holding back on fertilizer for now too as that may actually bring back the insects too?

Ugh, reading up on these critters they appear nasty, I will have to keep a close eye it seems and maybe invest in a magnify glass.

Oh! and it is a ways away from my other plants now too. The airplane plant is in it's own location as well just to be sure that it didn't get any buggies.

[ronaldhanko]

Wow! That is some infestation of scale, but I think you've done the right thing. You'll have to watch the plant very carefully, however and keep it away from your other plants - they do tend to reappear.

[wgama]

I used the 70% rubbing alchohol on the scale i had and then sprayed it with with insecticidal soap and it eorked so far!