Some stuff on my neps
 

Hi everyone....Its been few weeks since i saw some tiny black things moving around the underneath of the nep leaves....And they also seem to leave a black spot which is sort of liquid...It appeared on my raffs then those liquid droped on some of my other neps..Here are some pics..Any idea what it is? So far its not affecting the growth of the plant but its unsightly..
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/RIMG0159.jpg

See the 2 black dots?
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/RIMG0160.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/RIMG0161.jpg

And this
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/RIMG0162.jpg

Those anybody know anything?

Ken

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

i think is the gland which produce honey or nectar to lure the insects.at first the clear colour nectar/honey was produce (you can try taste it,it's sweet!*biggrin2*), then as time goes by, the nectar/honey will become black.

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

Yeah, those are nectar glands. They are more noticeable in some species.

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

I have those on my bical Ken. It looks like fine peppering like someone use needles to poke the leaf surface. :confused:

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

Phew so they are actually stuff the plant creates :) Im relief...I thought my plants were all infected by some sort of mite and fungus...I didn't know they even create nectar/honey on the leaves..

Ken

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

Nepenthes glandifora is a good species to observe.

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

Hi Ken,
the photo # 3 look like fly dropping:spinning:

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

They even produce those nectar glands on their tendrils! N. bical is an "ant plant" (the only one in the genus) and has a hollow spot in its tendril just before the pitcher, so that ants can drill into it and make a small home for themselves. In return, the ants will defend the plant against anything that might try to eat the plants. The ants also wind up as food when they fall into the traps! National Geographic magazine had an article on this several years ago. - Rich

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

It is a type of bug!!! Because my sarrasenia affected by them!!! It make my sarrasenia looks weired with red patches in their pitchers... Beside that, the affected sarra looks sick as well...

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

If you can scrape them off, they are scale, closely related to mealy bugs and aphids. You might try to use a 4X lens to even a dissecting microscope to have a closer look. - Rich

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

Hi guys...BUG!!??? Now im worried.....Tomorow afternoon i shall go check it out... I don't have a magnifying glass.....Anyways i do see small black colour bugs around on top and below the leaves...They are not as small as mites probally 1.5-2 times bigger..And also the look like the letter C with the "legs" at the curving part you get wat i mean?

Ken

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

Think they're mites Ken. Black stuff? I was thinking of red spider mites or aphids. Red spider mites cause those indentationl on leaves. Best way to get rid of them is to keep the plant wet as they hate water. Mist two 3 times a day regularly. This method is chemical free as my orchid sifus thought me when my Phalaenopsis became infected. Bottom line, red spider mites hate moist damp condition.

Apihds, easy to get rid off. Just spray H20 (by Fumakila) on it. The black spots on the bottom leaves could be suger residue. Aphids suck plant juice then extrete (yes their feaces) sweet droppings for ants to feed on in exchange for protection. Absence of ants would mean these sweet droplets dropping to the bottom, in your case the bottom leaves where it cause balck spots.

Good idea to check other plants too.

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

Kent,

Your plant is infected by a form of scale inscent called fly speckle insect. I usually will thrive in area where there are minimal air ventilation. Usually ants are the vector for this scale insect. It will form a hard shell as a protection against any predator when mature Usually they have some sort of nectar gland that produce sweet nectar to attract ants to move their young around. Some ants even cultivate this insects as a form of 'food source' for their population.

There are several way to get rid of this scales. You can do it manually by washing the affected leaves and physically remove each and every one of it untill it's all clean. Some people apply diluted alchohol/ white spirit to the affected leaves.

If the infection is severe where you have hundreds of plants were infected. You have no other option to you a systemic insecticide with dimethioate as the active ingredient.

I would suggest you remove them by hand first. Leave it for a couple of weeks. Check back again for any repeating inffection. This will solve your problem.
Hope this helps.

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

Looks like Andy has it spot on. Luckily I didn't become a doctor... Opps!

Re: Some stuff on my neps
 

So...bactrus u are saying andy is right? Anyways as for cleaning them off.....How just take them down and wash them over with water scrub them a little? Something like that?

Ken