Even with the best care, it can happen that your orchid is attacked by pests. That could be the tiny thrips, for example. Then it is important to react quickly to prevent greater damage.
A treatment with soapy water helps against thrips
How do I recognize thrips?
Thrips show a similar pattern of damage to spider mites, namely silvery spots on the leaves. However, the webbing of the mites is missing. The flowers are rarely affected by these pests. Look at the underside of your orchid's leaf, that's where the thrips like to sit.
What can I do against thrips?
As soon as you have recognized the tiny pests, you should take action. First, quarantine the affected plant to prevent the thrips from moving onto other plants. If only a few leaves are affected, wipe them thoroughly with a dish soap solution. Since the next generation of thrips may already be growing, you should repeat the treatment a few times at regular intervals.
If the orchid is heavily infested with thrips, it makes sense and is easier to shower it off. First pack the pot in a plastic bag so that the washed-off pests cannot fall into the pot or onto the substrate, otherwise a new infestation is inevitable.
If several orchids are infested or if the infestation occurs again and again, then think about using beneficial insects. Because thrips also have natural predators. These include predatory mites and lacewings, both of which you can purchase from specialist retailers.
How can I prevent future infestations?
Thrips feel particularly comfortable in warm and dry air. Therefore, they mainly occur during the heating period in late autumn or in winter. To prevent them from appearing in the first place, you should ensure higher humidity. Set up an air humidifier or spray your orchids with low-lime water from time to time, this is good for the plant.
The essentials in brief:
- Damage similar to that of spider mites
- silvery dots on the leaves
- Thrips are usually found on the underside of leaves
- Cattleya are particularly fond of them
tips
Prevention is better than thrips control. Always keep the air sufficiently humid.