What if there are midges in the orchid?

Growing orchids is not too difficult if you know exactly how to care for them. But it is important to ensure that it does not lead to the occurrence of any diseases. Orchids can also be attacked by any pests. Most often, midges appear on them, which prevent the flower from developing.

Before starting the fight against small flies, you should determine what kind of insect started on the indoor flower. Some small midges do not harm the plant, while others can destroy it. To understand this, you should know some facts about each of them.

1. Mushroom gnats are insects very similar to midges. They fly around the flower, are small in size and are found in the cold season. Most often, parasites appear in spring or autumn. They do not harm the orchid, but their larvae, which are in the soil, are capable of destroying the roots, which, in turn, begin to rot and die.
2. Whiteflies - white midges that can live on a flower. They are 2-3 millimeters long. It is quite easy to see them, as they are capable of leaving yellow stains on the leaf plates. The larvae are found on young stems and leaves of the orchid, infect these areas, which contributes to the extinction of the plant.
3. Fruit flies have yellow and red eyes. They are fruit flies that can lay more than four hundred eggs at a time. The larvae are active the next day after laying the eggs, and a week later they grow into full-fledged, adult insects. Pests do not cause much harm to the plant, but they greatly interfere, flying nearby.
4. Thrips - elongated black insects, on the back of which there are small stripes. Most often they inhabit the leaves of the plant, sometimes they can be in the soil. If the grower saw a silvery film and a large number of black dots on the leaf plates, then he encountered this parasite. The leaves become dry, after which the plant may die. It should be remembered that these insects are active only at night, but during the day it is extremely difficult to see them. Thrips are capable of infecting not only leaf plates, but also the root system. They are small, but multiply very quickly, so you should get rid of them quickly.

If midges have bred in the ground or on the leaf plates of orchids, it is necessary to find out why this happened. Some people try to get rid of pests right away without realizing the reasons for them. This contributes to the deterioration of the condition of the orchid. It is extremely important to understand what caused the insects. There are several common reasons.

• Perhaps the pests began to appear after the plant was transplanted. They can fly over it or near a flower. This means that the larvae of the pest were in the substrate (in the bark), which was used for transplantation.
• If the plant is purchased from a store, you need to consider its root system. Most often it is sold in a transparent pot, so it is quite possible to do this. And also you need to inspect the leaf plates of the flower. Sometimes pests can grow in the greenhouse. They get rid of them, but some of the insects can hide in the flowers of the plant.They multiply extremely quickly, so after a while, flower growers notice pests in the flowerpot.
• Sometimes growers fertilize the orchid with egg shells, coffee grounds or tea leaves. And they can also place decorative moss in a flowerpot, very often water a flower or water it with a liquid that was infused on bread. This leads to the process of decay, as a result of which midges appear.

These pests must be dealt with as soon as the grower noticed their presence. Removing them is not too difficult, but if you start the process, the plant may suffer. There are a large number of folk methods, as well as chemicals that can remove insects. They should be used carefully.

You need to start with mechanical processing. First you need to get rid of damaged sheet plates. Leaves not touched by insects should be thoroughly washed with a little warm liquid. Then you need to get the orchid out of the vase and rinse the roots. For this you need to use a shower. ...

It is necessary to carefully read the instructions for the preparations, since any of them may be intended to combat some specific insects. If you buy the wrong product, you can harm the plant without solving the problem. If the grower knows which midges appeared on the flower, the plant can be treated with preparations designed to combat these insects.

1. Funds under the names will help against mushroom mosquitoes Raptor, Neo Dichlorvos and Raid... These preparations are sprayed on leaf plates and stems. The soil must be treated with the preparations "Grom-2" and "Bazudin". But it is also important to disinfect the windowsill or other surface on which the plant pot was located.
2. To get rid of the whitefly, it is worth buying "Sherpa", "Fury" or "Aktaru", with which you need to process the leaves and stems of the orchid.
3. To remove fruit flies, you need to pay attention to "Hexachloran", "Dichlorvos" and "Kombat"... It is best to read the instructions before use.
4. Thrips are insects that are extremely difficult to fight. For this, drugs are purchased Fitoverm and Aktellik. You need to process the orchid once every 2 weeks. You should stop using the funds only when the midges disappear.

Some people think that folk remedies are safer. They are extremely effective and will not harm both the plant and its owners. You can try some of the options presented.

• Garlic infusion is what will allow growers to get rid of midges very quickly. You need to take 2-3 cloves of garlic, chop them and put them in some hot water. They should stand for 5 hours. With this infusion, the leaves of the plant and the soil are processed.
• You can bury a clove of garlic in the soil where the orchid is growing. The insects can soon be seen disappear. The method is simple and effective.
• The grower can purchase decoy traps (sticky tapes) that are sold at any store. They need to be placed next to the orchid. The method is not very effective, since it does not rid the plant of the larvae. It is successful only if the insects do not harm the plant, but simply interfere with the owner.
• Wood ash is poured on top of the soil, which lowers the acidity of the substrate, fertilizes the plant and simultaneously relieves its owner of insects.
• Take a little liquid soap (1 tsp), dilute in a glass of liquid. Sheet plates are washed with this mixture. They need to be processed both from the top and from the bottom.

Sometimes flower growers, not knowing the rules for caring for orchids, create an environment favorable for insect reproduction on their own. Some of them carry out frequent watering of the flower, trying to give it a large amount of liquid. Others, as mentioned earlier, put decorative moss on top of the soil.

Many housewives try to fertilize the flower with a variety of foods, believing that this will help make it healthier and more lush. You do not need to believe various myths, it is better to read reliable information about caring for a plant and do everything to make it strong and healthy.

It is important not to leave fruits or other products next to the plants, because because of this, midges fly from the street and lay the larvae directly on the plant.

• The plant sometimes (several days) needs to be in completely dry ground... You do not need to water it too often, it is important to follow the regime.
• It is worth maintaining a normal moisture level in the room.
• Can be placed next to the pot citrus fruit peel or lavender branch... These smells can scare away these insects.
• Midges can fly from other rooms where food remains. It's better to take out the trash more often.
• Before planting an orchid stands place the substrate in a cold place for 2-4 days... Better to put it in the freezer. This will help kill insects if their larvae are still present in the ground.
• It is worth processing sheet plates soapy water and also wipe them with a wet sponge.

But you also do not need to do anything without understanding which insects have settled in the orchid. If you fight the midges incorrectly, you can only make the flower worse, lower its immunity.

Getting rid of such pests is not too difficult, so you should not panic. The fight may not be quick, but effective. Before using any product, you need to read the instructions. Before fertilizing a plant, you should consult with professionals or study information on the Internet. Improperly selected fertilizers and poor care are what can provoke the appearance of midges, which will ruin the life of the grower. It is better to prevent the occurrence of parasites than to cure the plant for a long time. If you take care of a flower, it will delight the owner for a long time.

For information on how to get rid of midges in orchids, see the next video.