Orchids are extremely attractive plants to grow. They have unique growth habits and flowers that range from stunning to bizarre. Unfortunately, they are also attractive to pests.
There are a wide range of chemical controls available, but there are a number of biological controls of orchid pests, as well. Those can be in the form of predatory insects – those that kill the pests without inflicting damage on the plants – or in the form of microbes that infect and kill the pests. In the table below, I’ll try to offer a few in each category, organized by the pest to be controlled.
Fungus Gnat | |
Predatory Insects | Atheta coriaria, Stratiolaelaps scimitus, Steinernema feltiae |
Microbes | Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis |
Thrip | |
Predatory Insects | Neoseiulus cucumeris, Amblyseius swirskii, Orius insidiosis, Stratiolaelaps scimitus, Steinernema feltiae |
Microbes | Beauveriana bassiana, Isaria fumosorsea |
Aphid | |
Predatory Insects | Aphidius spp., Chrysoperla spp., Adalia bipunctata, Aphidoletes aphydemyza |
Microbes | Beauveriana bassiana, Isaria fumosorsea |
Mealybug | |
Predatory Insects | Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, Chrysoperla spp. |
Microbes | Beauveria brongniartii |
Whitefly | |
Predatory Insects | Amblyseius swirskii, Encarsia formosa, Eretmocerus eremicus, Delphastus |
Microbes | Beauveriana bassiana, Isaria fumosorsea |
Two-spotted Spider Mite | |
Predatory Insects | Phytoseiulus persimilis, Feltiella acarisuga, Mesoseiulus longipes, Galendromus occidentalis, Neoseiulus fallacis, Amblyseius californicus, Amblyseius andersoniae |
Broad Mite | |
Predatory Insects | Neoseiulus cucumeris, Amblyseius swirskii, Amblyseius californicus |