scale insects

Peter Cole (carnivor@bunyip.demon.co.uk)
Tue, 31 Jan 1995 00:34:03 GMT

I've got an infestation of scale insects on my Nepenthes X
'coccinea', and despite picking them off by hand several times they
keep returning. Anyone know if it's safe to use an emulsion or meths
on Neps or should I just carry on trying to manually remove them? I
just hope they don't spread to my other plants...

On a different note, I've built a terrarium fitted with those
low-energy fluorescent bulbs that are being marketed as replacements
for regular incandescent bulbs - ( 23W bulbs producing 1500 lumen, )
and I'm trying it out with some surplus Drosera and Dionaea ( ~6000
lux on a 16 hour cycle. ) I'll post a progress report in a few weeks /
months when the plants have adjusted - I don't know what the spectrum is
like, but any deficiencies should show up by then. They're a hell of
a lot cheaper than grow bulbs so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Anyone
else ever tried these?

Happy growing,

Peter

Peter Cole | carnivor@bunyip.demon.co.uk | "It is the business of the
Swansea, WALES | new mailbox, same account | future to be dangerous..."