If You Grow Orchids, Beware of this Insect Pest

The Cattleya fly is among the the most devastating of pests that could assault your orchid garden.. In fact, this pest is intimately associated with orchids rather than any other family of plant, as you might gather from its scientific name, Eurytoma orchidearum.

Cattleya flies deposit their eggs in the orchid plant's young growths. The eggs hatch and then nymphs (or maggots) hatch and begin to feed voraciously. These nymphs soon swell to a huge size within the orchid's bulbs. One signal that these maggots are doing their nasty work is that the bulbs themselves will swell becoming club-shaped at the part where the pests are munching away.

Finally, the nymphs are transformed into flies, which munch their way to the outside by chewing through the flesh of the bulbs. Adult Cattleya flies are very easy to recognize. They have clear wings and black bodies, and are about a quarter inch long. Sadly, by the time you see them, it could be too late to salvage many of your plants. Nonetheless, you should always attempt to kill the flies before they can lay eggs in your remaining healthy plants.

Abnormally swollen bulbs are a sign that a plant is already infected. In this situation the best remedy is to cut off the bulbs. Then, drown the nymph by dropping it into a bowl of water. It's disheartening to have to cut away your plant's young growth, but this is better than leaving your other plants open to being attacked by this pest. With some luck, that plant that you did surgery to will produce a new bulb in place of the old one.

Now here's the good news about Cattleya flies. They are fortunately not especially common, and most orchid growers will never see them. Regardless, it is just good practice to inspect every new orchid for the signs of these flies and their maggots. Besides looking out for unusually swollen bulbs where the fly's nymphs might be eating, inspect for minute holes where a female fly's ovipositor might have inserted her eggs into the plant. Absent such signs, you probably do not have a Cattleya fly problem.

To be really successful growing orchids it is important to know how to deal with all the various threats to your plants, including insects. It isn't as difficult to grow orchids as many people seem to believe, especially if you first read up on how to properly care for these fascinating plants.

The most complete guide to 21st-century orchid growing, many agree, is Orchid Care Expert by a Mr. Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded over the Internet. Howard's wonderful guide will provide a full understanding of the subject. Also, visit the Orchid Secrets site, which contains an ever-growing library of articles on many facets of orchid care.