Mite damage

Joachim Danz · Oct 3, 2003

Hi,

I already had some problems with mite last year which I got rid of with an Akarizid (don't know the correct english translation). During this summer this problem reappeared, maybe also due to the extreme hot temperatures during the last months. Only four or five of my plants are affected right now, the other ones don't show any symptoms. The mites itself are so small that I wasn't able to see them with a magnifying glass. They live in the growth point of the affected plants which they damage badly. Here two pictures as reference how such a damage can look like:

N. singalana:

N. xiphioides:

(Click on the pictures to get bigger versions.)

Cheers Joachim

swords · Oct 3, 2003

Thanks for showing that Joachim,
I think that I may have mite damage to my N. alata which has a growing point looking like your N. singalana (up til the point of looking like that the pitchers started to be very deformed when they opened). I have removed it from the general population of plants and have been wondering what to do with it, throw it out or restart it from a node further down the stem.
Now for the million dollar question, can this problem spread to other neps? Since it grew with my other Neps for a while is there a chance it could have spread to them? If so is there some percautions I can take to protect my other plants (other than moving the affected plant) perhaps mist them with a "miticide"? I do not know the product name Akarizid, what is the active ingredient in it ? I can shop by the ingredient name if it's not banned here.

agustinfranco · Oct 3, 2003

Hi all:

Try malathion, i am sure it will kill them.

Agustin

agustinfranco · Oct 4, 2003

Dear Colleagues:

Today, i went to visit my friend who has a nice collection of neps. He had the same problem as you. He used a miticide that has DIFOCOL as the main ingredient. It had the expected effect so he managed to save his heliamphora collection as well as his nep collection. If you find it, please dilute it at least 1/2 before applying it to your neps.

Gus

gardenofeden · Oct 4, 2003

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (agustinfranco @ Oct. 03 2003,10:37)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Hi all:

Try malathion, i am sure it will kill them.

Agustin[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
most mites in the UK are resistant to Malathion already.

Joachim Danz · Oct 5, 2003

Hi Josh,

yes, these mite can spread to the other plants. Normally only weak or stressed Nepenthes are that badly affected. Others show no visible signs.

Cheers Joachim

swords · Oct 6, 2003

Thanks Joachim & Gus,

None of my other plants are affected, it was only the crummy N alata cutting I got off ebay that was a little weird looking already when I got it but as it grew it became more and more deformed.

At first I made a post and the consensus was I was likely keeping it in too warm of conditions. Since moving it to highland conditions several months ago did not change anything I have to either think virus or unseen predator (mites). I've already destroyed the plant and gotten it out of the house. I just want to be sure and keep the others safe!

wezx · Oct 9, 2003

hey i have that to, what should i do to get rid of it?
can it go away by itself?
thx, im really worried

agustinfranco · Oct 9, 2003

Hi Wezx:

Try to find a good acaricide or miticide, don't give up. if you don't do anything, you'll lose your collection.

Gus