Pest identification
What's eating my hooded maxillaria?
Spider mites
Signs: Fine pale speckling on leaves; webbing between leaf bases and sheaths in low-humidity rooms
Control: Raise ambient humidity, rinse foliage, spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil every 5–7 days
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony wax tucked inside leaf sheaths and pseudobulb crevices; stunted new growth
Control: Apply 70% isopropyl alcohol with a cotton swab directly to colonies; repeat weekly for a month
Scale insects
Signs: Small hard bumps on pseudobulbs and stems; yellowing foliage and sticky honeydew residue
Control: Remove manually with an alcohol-dipped cotton swab; follow with horticultural oil spray
Keep hooded maxillaria pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Hooded Maxillaria pests — FAQ
What is eating my hooded maxillaria?
Hooded Maxillaria, a compact epiphytic orchid, is most commonly troubled by spider mites in warm dry indoor conditions. Mealybugs hide in the sheaths around pseudobulbs. Scale can also settle on pseudobulbs. Good air movement, high humidity, and monthly inspection of leaf axils and pseudobulb bases are key to keeping this species pest-free.
How do I get rid of spider mites on hooded maxillaria?
Fine pale speckling on leaves; webbing between leaf bases and sheaths in low-humidity rooms Raise ambient humidity, rinse foliage, spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil every 5–7 days
How do I get rid of mealybugs on hooded maxillaria?
White cottony wax tucked inside leaf sheaths and pseudobulb crevices; stunted new growth Apply 70% isopropyl alcohol with a cotton swab directly to colonies; repeat weekly for a month
How do I get rid of scale insects on hooded maxillaria?
Small hard bumps on pseudobulbs and stems; yellowing foliage and sticky honeydew residue Remove manually with an alcohol-dipped cotton swab; follow with horticultural oil spray