The article contains a photo of a shell mite. This insect can often be found on an orchid. Does it do harm? How to get rid of it? This is what will be discussed next.
It is important to understand what place the described mite occupies in nature. A small population can only benefit the plant, so it is not always necessary to immediately turn to chemicals. In addition, 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 hide quickly when they sense danger. Such insects prefer to live in a humid environment where sunlight does not reach. Ticks are arthropods but feed on decaying organic matter. Such insects live in colonies. Shell mites, photos of which are presented below, play an important role in nature. They areregulate the decomposition of fungi, herbs and algae.
The described type of ticks is not considered to be fast-reproducing, but they are commonly called long-lived. 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 a shell mite from a spider mite?
If a person notices a small black or brown beetle on an orchid or other indoor plant, then most likely it will be a shell mite. But it will be easy enough to confuse with the cobweb. How do you tell them apart?
| Type of tick | Body length | Color | Speed | Reaction to light | Masonry site |
| Papace | About 0.8mm | Brown, black | 5 mm overcome in 1 second | Run away | Fallen leaves, branches in the ground, in rotten roots |
| Spiderweb | About 0.3mm | Red, redhead | 5 mm overcome in 1 minute | Do not respond | Green leaves |
Danger to plants
Flower growers 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 feedsdead organics, moss and so on.
Harm will be caused if there are many insects on the plant. Moreover, sometimes ticks absorb helminth eggs. In some cases, the worms hatch right in the ticks, this is dangerous.
Most often there are shell mites on an orchid. If this happens, then there is too much moisture in the soil. Watering should be reduced, otherwise the orchid may die. Ticks are the result of growers' mistakes in caring for the plant.
How to get rid of ticks?
If you do not want shell mites to appear on the plant, then you need to constantly monitor the water balance in the pot and completely eliminate flower rotting. To do this, you need to dry all the sections with charcoal.
If ticks have already appeared, then you should get rid of them. It is necessary to remove 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 float up, and you need to change the water until they stop appearing.
The plant only needs to be left for two days to dry out. 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 up in the oven or microwave. This approach will help get rid of insects.
Fitoverm
Thinking abouthow to get rid of a shell mite on an orchid, you can pay attention to chemicals. However, don't rely too much on them. Ticks are not particularly susceptible to the effects of such drugs, so after a while they will appear again. Of the well-known means, Fitoverm should be noted. They can both spray and water the plants.
This tool is made from the results of the life of the inhabitants of the soil. The drug is not considered particularly toxic, so processing is allowed indoors. This drug has an excellent effect on ticks and larvae. To process the plant, you need to dilute 2.5 ml of Fitoverma and 1.25 ml of water. You need to process the plant 4 times every week.
Apollo
Fighting the shell mite, you need to pay attention to the "Apollo". The tool has an excellent effect on insect larvae. You need to process the plant twice in 7 days. Diluted 2 ml of the drug in 5 liters of water.
Aktellik
Often this drug is used as a preventive measure against shell mites. The protective property lasts two weeks. You can 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.
Preventive measures
In order to avoid a problem with the appearance of a shell type 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 sinuses.leaves. This can lead to rotting of the plant. Watering should be regular and not very plentiful.
Results
Most often, armored insects appear on orchids. This is due to improper watering. Given that this plant cannot be repotted often, flower growers prefer to use chemical agents. In other cases, when it is possible to use a different substrate, it is best to transplant the flower. This will get rid of ticks with minimal risk of re-infection. Chemical agents 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.
