The article has a photo of the carapace tick. On an orchid, you can often find this insect. Is it harmful? How to get rid of it? This is what will be discussed later.
It is important to understand what place the described tick occupies in nature. A small population can only bring benefits to the plant, so it is not always necessary to immediately turn to chemical agents. Moreover, in a situation with a shell insect, it helps only temporarily. The tick is not particularly susceptible to toxic agents.
What is a shell mite?
Ticks look like small bugs that quickly hide, sensing danger. Such insects prefer to live in a humid environment where sunlight does not fall. Ticks are arthropods, but feed on decaying organics. Such insects live in colonies. Carapace mites, photos of which are presented below, play an important role in nature. They regulate the decomposition of mushrooms, herbs and algae.
The described species of ticks is not considered to be rapidly breeding, but they are usually called long-living. Only one stage of egg development takes from 1 month to 2 years. An important nuance is that the tick is not considered parasitic.
How to distinguish between carapace and spider mite?
If a person noticed a small or black or brown beetle on an orchid or other indoor plant, then most likely it will be a shell mite. But confusing with the spider web will be quite easy. How to distinguish between them?
Type of tick | Body length | Color | Speed | Light reaction | Masonry place |
Armored | About 0.8 mm | Brown black | 5 mm overcome in 1 second | Run away | Fallen leaves, branches in the ground, in rotten roots |
Spider web | About 0.3 mm | Red, red | 5 mm overcome in 1 minute | Do not respond | Green leaves |
Danger to plants
Florists believe that the shell mite is a harmful insect that needs to be eliminated. In fact, in a small amount, it will be useful. This is due to the fact that the tick feeds on dead organics, moss and so on.
Damage will be caused if there are a lot of insects on the plant. Moreover, sometimes ticks absorb helminth eggs. In some cases, worms hatch right in ticks, this is dangerous.
The most common shell mites on an orchid. If this happened, then the soil is too much moisture. Watering should be reduced, otherwise the orchid may die. Ticks are the result of floricultural errors during courtship of the plant.
How to get rid of ticks?
If you don’t want the shell mites to appear on the plant, you need to constantly monitor the water balance in the pot and completely eliminate the rotting of the flower. To do this, all sections must be dried using charcoal.
If ticks have already appeared, then you should get rid of them. It is necessary to extract the plant from the pot and clean it from the soil. Next, the roots and foliage must be washed under water. Its temperature should be 50-60 degrees. The roots should not touch the bottom and walls, so it is better to use a deep container. Ticks will constantly pop up, and you need to change the water until they stop appearing.
The plant needs to be left for only two days to dry. Then it needs to be transplanted into another substrate. If there is no other soil, you can use the old one. However, you should warm it in the oven or microwave. This approach will help get rid of insects.
Fitoverm
Thinking about how to get rid of the shell mite on an orchid, you can pay attention to chemical agents. However, you do not need to rely heavily on them. Ticks are not particularly susceptible to the effects of such drugs, so after a while they will appear again. Of the known means, Fitoverm should be noted. They can be sprayed and watered.
This tool is made from the results of the vital activity of the inhabitants of the soil. The drug is not considered particularly toxic, therefore, processing is allowed indoors. This drug works great on ticks and larvae. To process the plant, you need to dilute 2.5 ml of Fitoverma and 1.25 ml of water. It is necessary to process the plant 4 times every week.
Apollo
When fighting with an armor tick, you need to pay attention to the Apollo. The tool works well on insect larvae. It is necessary to process the plant twice every 7 days. 2 ml of the drug is diluted in 5 l of water.
Actellik
Often this drug is used for prophylactic purposes against carapace mites. The protective property lasts two weeks. It is possible to spray the product only in open space, since Actellik is quite toxic. The product is sold in ampoules (2 ml). One ampoule must be diluted in a liter of water. Plants are processed twice a week.
Preventative measures
So that there is no problem with the appearance of a carapace of ticks, it is necessary to periodically dry the soil. In addition, the plant must be sprayed regularly. In this case, drops of water should not remain in the axils of the leaves. This can lead to rotting plants. Watering should be regular and not very plentiful.
Summary
Most often, shell-shaped insects appear on orchids. This is due to improper watering. Given that this plant can not be transplanted often, flower growers prefer to use chemical agents. In other cases, when it is possible to use another substrate, it is best to transplant a flower. This will get rid of ticks with a minimal risk of reinfestation. Chemicals do not give 100% of the result and you will have to repeat the procedure regularly. The cost of such funds with frequent use can hit the wallet.