Bug Sprays for Orchids

Insecticidal Soap

• Inexpensive and without as many dangers as traditional chemical bug sprays, insecticidal soap will kill most bugs that attack orchids. Such soaps can be bought premixed at a nursery, or can be made at home by mixing two teaspoons of dish soap with one pint of water. The insecticidal soap spray must be applied to all parts of the plant. Use it with caution on orchids that have a natural waxy coating on their leaves, since some soaps can remove the coating, damaging the plant. It's best to test insecticidal soap on a small part of the orchid before treating the entire plant.

Oil

• Oils, such as neem oil, horticultural oil or even mineral oil can be sprayed on orchids to kill a number of pests. Like insecticidal soaps, premixed solutions are available. Pure oil can be mixed at a rate of one teaspoon oil, two teaspoons dish soap and one quart of water. Test on a small area of the orchid before spraying the oil mixture over the entire plant. Certain orchids do not tolerate neem oil applications. Be sure to keep the orchid out of direct sunlight and in a location that is less than 85 degrees Fahrenheit after application.

Chemical Insecticides

• A number of traditional insecticides are appropriate for spraying on orchids to kill bugs. Look for bug sprays that contain diazinon, carbaryl acephate or malathion. These pesticides will kill nearly all bugs that attack orchids. They should not be used on a regular basis, however, only when an infestation is present. Rotenone and pyrethrins are not recommended since they are not effective on the most common orchid pests.

Regulators

• Regulators are different than traditional pesticides since they disrupt the development of insects rather than poisoning them. Kinoprene is an ideal regulator to spray on orchids. It stops regular formation of certain insects in their juvenile stage. It can be expensive, but requires fewer applications to end an infestation than most other types of bug sprays. It works well on mealybugs and aphids, two common orchid pests, as well as whiteflies and scales.