Red spider mitesThis sucks!!! I found red spider mites (Panonychus ulmi, or rött spinn in Swedish) on a plant I received in a trade a while back. What really upsets me is that the plant arrived infected and I did not know what to look for. I have never had to deal with spider mites before, but the horror stories I have read… sigh.

I was told the plant was badly sunburned, and I never questioned that information. Not until the new shoot developed the same dark red/brown “burns” as well. I have looked at this plant many times feeling that something wasn’t right, but since I did not see any of the mites moving around out in the open I ignored my gut feeling.

That is – not until I began peeling back the paper like husk around the bulbs on the affected Cattleya and saw the hordes of red little spiders clinging to the bulbs there!! Disgusting!! The plant went head first into the trash… but now of course I am worried (who am I kidding – paranoid – horrified – close to panicked are better choices of words) about the rest 100 or so orchids I’ve kept in the same room.

Upon closely inspecting every single one under a magnifying glass – hell of a way to start the vacation – I found nothing. I realize this is good news, but since the other infestation eluded me so long I have a very difficult time believing it has not spread to any other plants. I must just not have found them yet… Dang, I am really losing sleep over this!! Never again will I not trust my gut feeling. And never again will I accept a plant in such a condition… I was just too trusting and did not want to be difficult, but I am really kicking myself now…

Ok. Enough whining. Live and learn. It is time to act! I hate using heavy duty poisons on my whole collection since I grow in such a small enclosed space – my home! So I am looking for other alternatives first. Since the killer nematodes did such a great job on the fungus gnat problem (Sciaridae) I had last winter, I decided to apply a tiny army of killer mites to go after the spider mites! I ordered the predatory mite Amblyseius californicus from Lindesro and applied them to the whole collection a few days ago. Now I am just trying to sit on my hands and let them do their thing. I hate waiting…

IF there are any more spider mites, these guys should get them. I hope.