Name this bug...

[camille1585]

Alternatively, you could try posting on Bugguide.net. If you provide info (size of buds, your location, what plants they are on...) people can often tell you. It's a great website with knowledgable entomologists, when I was doing fieldwork in the US during gradschool, I got a lot of the insects on my plants indentified that way. (I work in Entomology, but more in how insects interact with plants more than the insects themselves).

[lambelkip]

they're booklice, and the best way to control them is to use a fungicide to get rid of the mold that they feed on.

[Rivka]

I have everything in S/H so I'm thinking a physan flush to help with the mildew. I have been having a friend water while I'm out of town and I think they have not been getting fully flushed thru. That paired with them being outside in significant humidity has probably set things up pretty nice for them to thrive. I have flushed everything each of the past 3 days really well and washed all the leaves. Going to get some fungicide today for the final flush. Unfortunately I leave tonight for 2.5 more weeks. Doubt I can get them flushed more than the once a week I have set up for. The hubby does do plant care, he just takes the photos around here.

[Daethen]

It doesn't look like they will harm the plants themselves anyway, just an annoyance.

[Rivka]

My biggest concern right now is that the super humid summer we are headed into right now, that somehow these guys would get inside! Yuck while I was searching for info in them I read about bed and rug infestations!

[Rivka]

It is really good to hear that they may not be a big risk for the plant though, thanks. I moved the Colection to a part of the dec where they should be much better air circulation and they did wince off super easy. So crossing my fingers. I have had orchids for about 5 years now and never has an infestation that needed the big guns. I have toddlers in the house so the really big guns would simply never be used. Heck I've even stopped mealy bugs a few times after they got started and always won, so I'm hoping my luck and persistence will pay out again, wish I wasn't going out of town. Wish I could rinse these leaves off and the pots clear ever few days for a while, they could really use it.

[Rivka]

so i have been strangely limited in what i can find in plant stored around me in terms of Physan and stuff, so i asked for a fungicide and something that was ok to use on my orchids and he went directly for a spray with has Bacillus subtilis (QST 713 Strain) as it only active ingredient. and said that this was a bacteria that ate fungi so was a great way to control moderate prelims.

two questions:
is this going likely to work?
is this safe on my orchids?

[DelawareJim]

QST 713 is a natural fungicide. You can read about it here:
Bacillus subtilis Strain QST 713 (006479) Fact Sheet| Pesticides | US EPA

Cheers.
Jim

[Rivka]

Nice to read about it and I feel better spraying it after reading.

Still of course does not particularly answer my two main questions.

[camille1585]

Question 1: I don't know, I've never tried, though I have heard of it in some courses.
Question 2: Yes, it is safe for orchids, and all plants actually. No toxic side effects like with chemicals, and beneficial microbes do not attact plants. Interestingly B.subtilis is also very abundant in the human gut and is considered what is called 'probiotics'.