Oh ick! Millipedes!

[Mehera]

I was washing the media off the roots of my new large catt today when a 1" millipede (I think) came slithering out of the roots and ran up my wrist. The only reason I didn't drop the poor catt was somehow I quickly decided that I would rather be slithered upon than break my new orchid. That one ended up in the sink somewhere.

OK. So now I know at least one was in there, and presumably there are others. I have rinsed the roots and removed all the original media, but who knows? Will the Rose and Flower insect spray in the blue bottle get rid of them? Is there something else I should try?

Yuck. Don't want them in the house.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

If you cleaned out the pot, rinsed the roots and changed the media, I bet any poison would work to keep him from going back to your new cattleya.

Cheers!
BD

[Piper]

Mehera,

Do you use some sort of fungicide or insecticide for pests? That's what Bruce is suggesting - just using that.

Or are you looking for suggestions, because you don't have a personal favorite yet?

McJulie

[Mehera]

I've been using the spray stuff in the blue bottle which a lot of us use and is good for many critters. But millipedes are not insects. I put it in s/h, does that make a difference?

[Piper]

I'm not sure what the spray stuff in the blue bottle even is. Windex? It's ok to mention brands, Mehera. You just can't state where you can buy it.

The AOS pest guide is an academic waste of time. It tells us that millipedes like the dampness of potting material. Like we didn't already get that from the ewww! factor? Everything ickky lurks in dankness.

It says they might be harmless, but they might also like to much on new root tips. That doesn't sound so harmless to me... It also suggests you might want to pot soak with an appropriate pesticide. Does it mention any commercially available pesticides? No! That might actually be helpful, and potentially expose the author to litigation that wouldn't in a lifetime occur...but better safe than sorry. Oh yeah...it suggested prayer beads for bad infestations.

McJulie

[Diane]

The blue bottle must be Bayer Rose and Flower spray - yes? I use it on my roses all the time for aphids and powdery mildew. Never tried it on millipedes, but it is a pretty good all around insecticide..

[Mehera]

I'm not sure what the spray stuff in the blue bottle even is. Windex? It's ok to mention brands, Mehera. You just can't state where you can buy it.

LOL! Yup--I like to spray my orchids with Windex just to show them who's boss! (It's the Bayer Advanced Garden Rose & Flower spray) Didn't want to tangle with BD--you've seen that fierce picture of him on here haven't you?.

The AOS pest guide is an academic waste of time. It tells us that millipedes like the dampness of potting material. Like we didn't already get that from the ewww! factor? Everything ickky lurks in dankness.

It says they might be harmless, but they might also like to much on new root tips. That doesn't sound so harmless to me... It also suggests you might want to pot soak with an appropriate pesticide. Does it mention any commercially available pesticides? No! That might actually be helpful, and potentially expose the author to litigation that wouldn't in a lifetime occur...but better safe than sorry. Oh yeah...it suggested prayer beads for bad infestations.

McJulie

So, in your exalted status as a Senior Orchid Talk advisor you are suggesting the prayer beads? Can't hurt I guess! :-)

Actually, I only saw that one, and I did completely wash the roots and reinstall into a new s/h pot with new leca. I'm not terribly worried. Probably more likely that it went halfway down the damp sink drain from where he will emerge after the lights are off and start a new colony in my laundry room. Him and the crickets I can't get rid of.

[work2ski]

I have noticed that most plants bought from large nurseries would house those millipedes/centipedes and the likes. Especially the paphs/phrags in a wet bark mix. I would see them running for their lives when watering the plants after they arrived from the seller.