/ Register

Welcome to OrchidsForum.com. We are a friendly online community for Orchid Growers all over the world. If you haven't joined yet we invite you to register and join our community. Hope to see you on our forums!

Root tip munching

Discussion in 'Issues, Disease and Pests' started by Dave, Mar 14, 2010.

  1. Mar 14, 2010 #1
    Dave

    Dave Active Member Supporting Member

    Messages:
    663
    Likes Received:
    170
    Location:
    Northern CA
    Something is munching growing root tips. I assumed it was slugs, but a couple of beer traps netted zilch. Are there other candidates, or is it likely to be slugs and I'm just not catching/killing them?
     
  2. Mar 14, 2010 #2
    Alexis

    Alexis New Member

    Messages:
    2,893
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Redland, Miami FL, USA, Earth
    I recently had a rat take up residence, and this was one of his calling cards. I've also heard that roaches will eat roots, but don't have any personal experience with them in my plants.
     
  3. Mar 14, 2010 #3
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

    Messages:
    13,582
    Likes Received:
    3,389
    Location:
    Santa Rosa, CA
    If it is just the tips, I would suggest bush snails. Slugs are a tad less discriminating and there slime trails are more obvious.
     
  4. Mar 14, 2010 #4
    mrbreeze

    mrbreeze Anglican Supporting Member

    Messages:
    1,362
    Likes Received:
    35
    Location:
    Oklahoma
    And I cast my vote for the squirrels of the crustacean realm....sow bugs. Or if you prefer, pill bugs. Or....rolly pollies. They're voracious root munchers.
     
  5. Mar 14, 2010 #5
    orchidsmyhobby

    orchidsmyhobby New Member

    Messages:
    41
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    and Mr.Breeze what is your formula for that dreaded beast ?
     
  6. Mar 15, 2010 #6
    mrbreeze

    mrbreeze Anglican Supporting Member

    Messages:
    1,362
    Likes Received:
    35
    Location:
    Oklahoma
    My formula:

    (1)orthene/systemic x 2x/month + 30% - [y(finger squishing)] = death/(x)bugs
     
  7. Mar 15, 2010 #7
    Dale

    Dale New Member

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    329
    Location:
    Bandon, OR
    I agree with Floozo about the pest. I'm a little ambivalent about his treatment, though. I use Sevin. It also has a bonus aspect of killing a lot of other pests including millepedes.
     
  8. Feb 26, 2014 #8
    seidenfaden

    seidenfaden Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    350
    Likes Received:
    288
    I find that in my greenhouse wood lice (pillbugs) love the green growing tips of roots, especially orchids with thicker roots.
    I use ant repellent powder.