Pest identification
What's eating my coral cattleya?
Scale insects
Signs: Waxy or hard brown shells on pseudobulbs and canes; leaves pale and honeydew attracts mold
Control: Scrape off with an alcohol-soaked brush; apply neem oil or horticultural oil spray on a 10-day rotation
Mealybugs
Signs: White fibrous colonies inside leaf sheaths; yellowing leaves and weakened pseudobulb development
Control: Remove each colony with a 70% isopropyl alcohol swab; drench potting medium with neem oil solution
Thrips
Signs: Silvery streaking and brown petal edges on the coral-pink flower clusters; tiny insects in flower tubes
Control: Discard spent flower spikes; spray foliage with spinosad-based insecticide weekly for three weeks
Keep coral cattleya pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Coral Cattleya pests — FAQ
What is eating my coral cattleya?
Coral Cattleya (Cattleya bowringiana) is a cluster-blooming species frequently attacked by scale insects on its tall pseudobulbs. Mealybugs settle in leaf sheaths, and thrips damage the clusters of coral-pink blooms. Regular pseudobulb inspections, alcohol spot treatment, and neem oil prevention sprays keep this species flowering reliably year after year.
How do I get rid of scale insects on coral cattleya?
Waxy or hard brown shells on pseudobulbs and canes; leaves pale and honeydew attracts mold Scrape off with an alcohol-soaked brush; apply neem oil or horticultural oil spray on a 10-day rotation
How do I get rid of mealybugs on coral cattleya?
White fibrous colonies inside leaf sheaths; yellowing leaves and weakened pseudobulb development Remove each colony with a 70% isopropyl alcohol swab; drench potting medium with neem oil solution
How do I get rid of thrips on coral cattleya?
Silvery streaking and brown petal edges on the coral-pink flower clusters; tiny insects in flower tubes Discard spent flower spikes; spray foliage with spinosad-based insecticide weekly for three weeks