Gemma's Houseplants

[brokensword]

@brokensword my orchid got infested with almost invisible white insects and it is not looking so good, any suggestions?
I've never seen this type of insect before last year, they were allover my garden and some came in with the plants I overwinter inside and I've been fighting them since
They have killed all the verbena, a few geraniums and a couple of other plants but I'd never seen them going after the orchid, until now...what can I do? I don't think I can spray the orchid with Seven or BioAdvance
Help

for something 'safer' you could spray with soapy water, regularly, top and bottom of each plant, until all your plants look okay. Not sure what type bug. I've gotten scale types on the orchid and it usually involves completely going over every part with an alcohol wipe. Summer is better; the scale stuff seems to be more noticeable in winter. Unless your Sevin or the other pesiticide is oil based (and even then, might still be okay), I'd go with something that is more all-purpose insect killer. Orchids aren't that bad because they're basically a bulb and are pretty tough, unless the rot/disease has progressed. Too, maybe put up some of those sticky fly trap tapes and see if you atract anything. This is if you think they can fly, of course, but the traps are cheap. I have a couple in my basement for some bit of gnat activity I often get in the winter via decaying pond plants I'm overwintering with the turtles.

The soap solution should kill them but you might have to do it often to kill any eggs. Obviously, if you could ascertain the type bug it is, then google is your friend, but when I don't know, I start with soapy water spray and then go to the all-purpose bug spray, even with orchids. For your other plants (even the orchid), I'd make sure the soil gets some of either spray in case eggs/bugs are living there, too. Going to take some commitment and perseverance to make sure you get them all. I'd probably make sure BEFORE you bring in any plants from outside, that you spray with the bug spray and let them dry before moving everything into the greenhouse. You may have to go over the greenhouse if it's infected; perhaps take everything out this spring/summer and set off a bug bomb? Should kill anything left inside, bug-wise.

Hope some of this helps; for future plants, you can also use a systemic, monthly, and that helps keep an infestation from happening. I do this with a few trees outside that are prone to stuff like emerald borers and the like. I'm not fond of using chemicals but sometimes, it's your only real option. Good luck!

Thanks for helping, I really hope it turns around

worst case scenario, you mix up a 'bucket' of bug killer and invert the plant/orchid, immersing the whole thing for a minute to get that chem in places you can't reach/didn't know existed. That should do it. I haven't had to do this more than a couple of times (orchids have this papery membrane around their rhizome where bugs can avoid my alcohol rub. I often peel this away just looking for such. Now, this is with scale as it's not mobile in the strictest sense). Just keep an eye on it and you should be able to religiously spray it down for 3 weeks and be done with it.

[Gemma]

Thanks for all the advises @brokensword

[Gemma]

I've tried several sprays and home remedies and the sticky you suggested is the only thing that seems to work in trying to control these fuzzy bugs, thank you for suggesting them to me

in these pics you can see the lil suckers stuck on, I'm relieved to have found a solution but I have to admit I feel awful thinking they might be suffering a slow death.