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Post by hothousecarnivores on Mar 29, 2006 23:10:21 GMT -5
Recently i looked at my nepenthes rafflesiana and i noticed a small ovaloid bump on it i looked closer and it has a brown dot in the middle. i scraped it off witha toothpick and i know it is not a fungus because there was several of these od oval bugs? all over. i cleaned them all of but im not sure what they are? does anyone else have a simmilar experience ? thanks - JEssy
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Post by Flytrap on Mar 30, 2006 2:12:31 GMT -5
GET RID of it quick!!! That my friend, is your Nepenthes most hated pest, the scale bug. It's dry environment cousin, the mealy bug are the bain of the cacti world.
Scale can be rid off by a weak solution of safer's soap applied on as a cotton swab wipe (rinse off with clear water afterwards...and make sure no soap suds/solution make it's way to the growing medium!!!!).
Even easier, is to take your fingernail and scrape the underside, stems and tendrils of this pesky pest. repeat often as it's eggs will hatch.
I've lost my ampullarias, bicalcaratas and other lowlanders to this bug. They suck the juice out of your plant, leave behind a sticky "honeydew" which encourages black soot fungus and other junk to take foot in your plant.
My prevention these days is to periodically wipe the underside of my nep leaves frequently and look for these buggers.
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