Re: Hmmmmmm (also Neps and Scale)

John Laroche (Sabercat@ix.netcom.com)
Thu, 9 Feb 1995 13:02:57 -0800

You wrote:

>
>I have a question for you pest experts. On a few of my Nepenthes,
there are
>these little bitty white things on the tendrils. Sometimes they appear
>around spots on the leaves. They don't seem to be alive. They don't
************S N I P************

It sounds like the scurge of Nep growers everywhere....Snow Scale....! A
creature delivered by the Antichrist if there ever was one! Do they have
a kinda grey sheen? Are they sort of cylindrical (maybe bent into ess's
or ell's)? Is there a tiny necrotic (yellow or black spot) under each
one? If so....you've got the plague. These things are Hell to get rid
of....
Cygon 2E works resonibly well, but must be applied in the shade. High
like will cause a reaction and likely damage the plant.
Oxymal Granular is the best. Very deadly to humans...thankfully also to
most sucking insects and mites. Like Cygon it is a systemic insecticide,
but it is a granular powder which is applied to the root zone. I have
seen no evidence of phytotoxicity with it.
Notes about application...water it in very well...must be reapplied
every 6 weeks...follow the directions on the package, but use common
sense and increase or decrease dosage based upon the actual biomass of
the plant (not pot size).

A note on Copper...I have used Kocide (a copper based fungicide) on Neps
with no ill effects. I like Daconil much better though.

Sorry to ramble...
J

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