Aphids!

[SuZCC]

My beloved Peggy Ruth Carpenter has aphids on it!
It is in bud, and the couple of blooms have sticky stuff all over them. I wiped off the sticky goo containing the aphids with a paper towel, but I'm sure I missed a few since they are smaller than grains of sand. Is there a spray? Can I save this orchid? I love it. I had another one and it died, so i ordered a new one from an online supplier. It may have arrived infested although i didn't see any bugs or goo.

Please tell me I don't have to get rid of it! I already separated it from my other orchids (put it outdoors, in fact--the others are still indoors.)
HELP!!!!!!!!

[Bikerdoc5968]

I use Bayer Advanced 3-In-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control. It is availabe in any of the big box stores or garden center (possibly more costly) as a pre-mixed spray or as the concentrate which you mix and use in your own spayer. I like it because it has an insecticide and a fungicide. I'm sure others have their own "poision" they like to use....

[clintdawley]

Spray it with Neem. Aphids HATE Neem.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Yes, spray it! Any insecticide should do the trick. Keep it away from your other orchids for awhile and spray again in a week to make sure you got all of the pests. Good luck!

Cheers,
BD

[ischel1]

Yes Neem oil will do the trick and is less toxic.

[SuZCC]

Thanks everyone!
Is Neem a spray? And can I get it at a garden store/nursery?

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Thanks everyone!
Is Neem a spray? And can I get it at a garden store/nursery?

Yes. You buy it concentrated and mix with water. There are other insecticide oils also. Neem is a brand, but I use Sunoil and get it a the local big box store.

Cheers,
BD

[Bikerdoc5968]

If you do use the oil based Neem material, be careful to keep the sprayed plant out of the sun or major heat because the oil stays on the leaves and becomes a frying pan... sauted plant!

[GiovannaD]

I had an aphid epidemic on a bay bush, a pomegranate tree, a hazelnut tree, 3 rose bushes...it was crazy, I kept spraying and spraying and more would come in thousands, gooey stuff dripping on pavements and all the plants under the trees would sulk in that sticky slime. Horrible!! So then I decided to water spray them with a pressure cleaner my hubby uses on our cars. As I was spraying them at top pressure, I remembered that soapy water is the ultimate bug killer. I didn't have much to lose...I hosed the infested plants with car soap and let them drain. IT WORKED! So far it's been 3 weeks and no more bugs. Now they grow happier than ever!

[wetfeet101b]

For aphids, I use a homemade solution of 1 teaspoon of bio-degradable dish washing soap and 1 gallon of water.
I mix them in my pump-sprayer and spray the plant and into the potting mix.
I then rinse with water the next day.
Just make sure the dish washing soap does not have any harsh chemicals.

Several treatments may be necessary to get the next brood once they hatch.