Should I use orthene on Nepenthes to get rid of scale?

From: Steve Klitzing (starbirdcom@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Nov 08 1999 - 10:43:52 PST 

Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 10:43:52 PST
From: "Steve Klitzing" <starbirdcom@hotmail.com>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg3747$foo@default>
Subject: Should I use orthene on Nepenthes to get rid of scale?

Hi:

I have one Nepenthes Gracillis plant that has some persistent scale.
Surface cleansing apparently doesn't get rid of it, because it eventually
returns. I have used insecticidal soap on this plant as a surface
treatment, and it does kill the scale. But the scale eventually returns. I
don't want the scale to spread to the other plants, and I do want this plant
to be healthy. Should I use a mild dose of orthene as a systemic on this
plant? I know how sensitive Nepenthes are to chemicals. Most insecticides,
I have found, will kill Nepenthes. Or is there some other systemic I could
use? I've used orthene on orchids, and it not only cleared up the problem
scale, but did not harm the plants. What would you suggest?

---Steve Klitzing

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