How to save a cactus, orchid, anthurium from a red flat mite?

The red flat mite (greenhouse flat beetle) is a pest that often attacks the collection of flower growers and settles on orchids, anthuriums, cacti and other houseplants. The Latin name of the species is Brevipalpus obovatus.

The flat beetle does not tolerate low temperatures, therefore it exists mainly in closed ground, getting into the room with an infected plant. The pest is not able to enter the house in any other way (with the wind, with dust, on clothes).

Description and life cycle

This representative of the family of arachnids is very small - up to 0.4 mm. It is impossible to see it with the naked eye. Ticks are flat, their body, covered with bristles, is ovoid. Males are noticeably smaller than females.

The squid is able to reproduce even from unfertilized eggs. The pest development cycle consists of the following stages:

1. eggs;
2. larvae;
3. protonymphs;
4. deutonymphs.

The transition from the egg stage to the state of an adult individual takes from 18 to 36 days, depending on external conditions. The development of the flat body is accelerated at elevated temperatures.

In the intervals between stages, the tick is in a dormant period and does without food. This feature is important to consider when using intestinal poisons and systemic drugs.

The lowered temperature is tolerated only by females and eggs of the red flat mite. After overwintering, they give life to new colonies of the pest.

Damage symptoms, harm done

Symptoms of the lesion by a pusher depend on the type of plant, sometimes they can be confused with the consequences of an attack by other pests, in particular the larva of thrips:

• if the leaf plates are fleshy, many small punctures can be distinguished on them;
• thin leaves wither under the influence of a tick;
• in some plants (for example, in streptocarpus) an oily sheen appears on the surface of the leaf plate;
• other flowers tuck the edges of the leaves.

By sucking the sap from the cells, the mite helps to reduce the leaf area, which leads to a decrease in photosynthesis. The plant's immunity falls, it becomes weak, susceptible to infectious diseases. Withering of the lower layer of leaves occurs, general decorativeness is lost, and the quality of flowering deteriorates.

Below we will tell you in detail how the flat heifer manifests itself on the most popular plants among flower growers.

On a cactus

A special kind of flat mite, Brevipalpus russulus, lives on cacti. Due to the microscopic size, it is impossible to notice the presence of a pest on the plant in a timely manner. By the time of detection, the plow has time to inflict irreparable harm on the plant, in the future, sick specimens remain permanently disfigured.

Unlike spider mites, this species does not leave cobwebs on cacti. Vague spots appear in the places of exposure, similar to a coating of rust. Squat saliva is toxic and, getting inside the tissues, causes their necrosis.

Due to the high harmfulness of the arthropod, you should try to prevent its attack.

• For preventive purposes, a solution of 2 parts of alcohol and 1 part of acetone is applied to the plants with a brush.
• From folk remedies, to avoid a tick attack, you can use an infusion of garlic or onion peel.

On orchids

The collection of orchids can be attacked by different types of ticks, the greenhouse flat beetle is one of them.

The pest can affect different types of orchid plants:

• phalaenopsis,
• wands,
• cymbidiums,
• dendrobiums and others.

It is very difficult to find single individuals.The presence of a pest is detected by the presence of symptoms or after the formation of large colonies.

Yellowish spots appear on the leaves of diseased orchids, and the tips of the leaf plates look dry. If you do not start fighting the pest in time, a fungus develops on the affected areas, the spots turn black, then holes form in their place. At this stage, it is unlikely that the plant can be saved, therefore, treatment should be started when the first symptoms appear:

1. First, the leaves must be washed with soapy water to remove the maximum number of mites.
2. Then you can start treatment. In the initial stage, you can do with folk remedies. With a significant lesion, chemical preparations are used.

On anthurium

Despite the fact that the leaves of anthurium are leathery and dense, pests do not bypass this plant. The greenhouse flat heifer settles on these flowers along with spider mites and other harmful insects.

The flat mite does damage not only by damaging the leaves with bites, which can be noticed at the initial stage by the appearance of small white dots. The quality of flowering deteriorates significantly, sometimes it completely stops. With a strong lesion, the plant becomes depressed, and if untreated, it may well die.

The females lay eggs at the base of the stems and in other secluded places, and soon after, a colony of adults appears. Pests reproduce especially quickly in conditions of high temperature and humidity.

Control measures

You can wash off a large number of pests with a hot shower.

The use of predatory mites in the case of a flat beetle is inappropriate: predators prefer to hunt for spiderweb species.

Simple procedures can help reduce the number of ticks:

• wiping the leaves with soapy water or a mixture of alcohol and acetone;
• spraying with infusions of onion peels and chopped garlic.

The advantage of such methods is their safety for humans and animals, which is important if flowers are sprayed in a residential area. But you shouldn't dwell on them alone. The tick loves to hide in hidden corners (cracks in the stems of a plant, in the axils of leaves), so it will easily survive treatment with not too toxic means.

Drugs from the group of acaricides and insectoacaricides have a stronger effect.

At home, it is not recommended to use preparations containing organic phosphorus compounds (Actellik and others) because of their high toxicity to humans. Less toxic agents are recommended:

• "Nissoran";
• "Envidor";
• Sunmight;

Fitoverm, Neoron, Omayt, Ortus also effectively destroy the greenhouse flat-body.

Each of the preparations is diluted with water according to the instructions and used to spray the affected plants. To get rid of the pest completely, you will need 2 or 3 treatments with an interval of 4-5 days.

The drug "Marshal" is used only in non-residential premises. This is a potent agent, and therefore a single treatment is sufficient.

Pest control must be started at an early stage - immediately after detection. The infected plant is quarantined, separated from the rest of the collection, and returned only after complete cure. When carrying out treatments, it is required to observe the concentration of drugs and the required frequency of procedures; these measures will help get rid of the red flat tick for a long time.