Snail found in collection

[The Mutant]

I hope it's okay for me to ask a question about snails on orchids in general.

I've realized, in hindsight, that my Phrag. Sunset Glow had snails when I got it home. I found one almost immediately after unpacking it, and thought nothing of it (removed the snail of course), then I found another one during the repot (removed than one as well), but still thought nothing of it. I didn't realize they were pests, I just thought they were general hitchhikers.

Now, after reading about them, I can't help but feel a bit perplexed. I've now had this Phrag for about a year, and aside from the two I found when I had purchased it, I have seen no sign of any snails since. It seems rather weird for them to disappear that easily. Can that happen and why? I can't think of a single thing I might have done that could've discouraged any snails.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by The Mutant

I hope it's okay for me to ask a question about snails on orchids in general.

I've realized, in hindsight, that my Phrag. Sunset Glow had snails when I got it home. I found one almost immediately after unpacking it, and thought nothing of it (removed the snail of course), then I found another one during the repot (removed than one as well), but still thought nothing of it. I didn't realize they were pests, I just thought they were general hitchhikers.

Now, after reading about them, I can't help but feel a bit perplexed. I've now had this Phrag for about a year, and aside from the two I found when I had purchased it, I have seen no sign of any snails since. It seems rather weird for them to disappear that easily. Can that happen and why? I can't think of a single thing I might have done that could've discouraged any snails.

I'm wondering the same thing. I found a dried dead one just the other day laying on the towel I have my Masdies on in my kitchen window. It was dead but I have never seen one before. I have my old Madies and my 3 new one separated by my humidifier. I wondered if it came from the new ones but I have not found any more. I wonder if I should water them with neem oil?

[JanS]

As far as worrying when you found a snail or two, I think it is important to note what kind of snail you have. From my experience the most destructive and hardest to get rid of are the little "bush snails" or "orchid snails". They are tiny and breed right in the orchid bark, so are very difficult to get rid of. They are a huge problem in Hawaii - here's a short but good article about them:
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/MP-1.pdf
I am also attaching a photo of them.

I have also had damage by larger snails and slugs that we have here in Southern California. Those leave a visible shiny slime trail and, while they can do a lot of damage, don't seem to breed in the orchid pots and so are much fewer in number. So when you find signs of one or two, you can usually find them or lure them with beer, etc. and your problem is over...at least for the time being.

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by JanS

As far as worrying when you found a snail or two, I think it is important to note what kind of snail you have. From my experience the most destructive and hardest to get rid of are the little "bush snails" or "orchid snails". They are tiny and breed right in the orchid bark, so are very difficult to get rid of. They are a huge problem in Hawaii - here's a short but good article about them:
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/MP-1.pdf
I am also attaching a photo of them.

I have also had damage by larger snails and slugs that we have here in Southern California. Those leave a visible shiny slime trail and, while they can do a lot of damage, don't seem to breed in the orchid pots and so are much fewer in number. So when you find signs of one or two, you can usually find them or lure them with beer, etc. and your problem is over...at least for the time being.

I have no idea what species they were, but they were the smallest snails I've ever seen, really tiny, and they were yellowish/light brownish in colour. The description in the document is fitting, unless your picture is showing the bush snail, then the shell looked different i.e. upright. Maybe they simply were hitchhikers?

The Phrag in question is pushing itself out of the pot, so I doubt there are any snails left in the substrate.

I'm wondering if I actually managed to get the only two snails it had, and possible eggs were removed when I repotted it (if they were indeed pests and not innocent snails).

[bil]

You'd need to google this and research it, but I am sure that I have seen molluscicides, some designed to be sprayed on trees. If I had a problem like bush snails, I would pick my least fave orchid and give the pot a good soak.

[ula]

Good luck, I'm battling bush snails myself- they can be quite devastating to roots. Drowning, cleaning and repotting without the use of any chemicals seems to be working so far for me, but I'm checking every day for signs of any new damage.

[DeafOrchidLover]

I had snail problem on my paph maudauie which I bought from orchid grower. I just check it every night and every morning, I would pick it with my long pointing tweezer and kill it. It was all gone whew!


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[Kasiopea]

Omg, I'm sure I'm preaching to the quire here but I'm soooo sick of the damn snails!!!! I notice one or two here and there and usually use the pellets, i sprinkle them around my pots and some times a bit into the pots. I haven't noticed any damage to the orchids but I must note that I do see that the pellets turn Moldy when wet! Any ways that seemed to work form me, until this Summer. I just cant keep up! I had to bring all my Phals inside, as the leaves are getting eaten. Checked all the other orchids, sprinkled more stuff. Couple days later my Long Awaited spike on a beloved Clowesia is eaten! I was so bummed! And after inspection found two more of my Catasetums, bulbs Eaten away! Lost my Wine Delight to all of this. And found another Catasetum, flower spike on the ground, chewed off. Treated everything again, peroxide, inspection, pellets, even beer traps, brought all of the Catasenti inside. Next week my Zygonesia seedling that has just produced its first good size bulb, had it eaten In Half! I'm about to loose it! Just researched Malathion solution and it does not say that it controls snails, so I'm not sure as to how to use it. Are there any other chemicals? I'll be trying to bait them with potatoes tonight.

[Raqsharqi]

It's normally too dry here for snails and even slugs to become concerns, but back when I lived in the Chicago area, we'd just put cups of beer out and the little buggers would fall in and drown. Would that work where you have orchids?

[Kasiopea]

What beer did you use? I tried that with A Belgium Ale "Fat Tire" and had no luck. I guess, those buggers have a diferent taste in beer lol