i blame fresh air!

[merc]

we leave our windows and doors open in the spring/summer. screens don't seem to do much keeping the gnats out. the bugs are attracted to the orchid light fixtures and i have to put little sticky traps up so they don't swarm the lights. today i got my hair caught the sticky traps. let me tell you getting them out of my hair was hilarious! this hobby has me laughing at myself a lot. thought my little misadventure was worth sharing.

 

[big923cattleya]

Well that certainly is true. A window screen does not exist yet to keep ‘no-see-ums’ outside! But otherwise my screens seem to be doing their jobs. Gnats are not an issue here. I am too far from standing water.
But misadventures or mishaps are universal with every hobby. Seems to be inevitable.
It is also a case of insects being attracted to a light source. That might be one of Mother Natures unwritten Laws. “He who has light, has bugs!!!

 

[tnyr5]

I am seriously considering replacing the window screens with thrips netting.

 

[big923cattleya]

Oh man, thrips???!!!
Oh my goodness. Those guys are so incredibly tiny, you can never keep them out using any type of screen. Good luck.
Neem oil spray is what I used in Florida for the 9 years I was there. But even so, a few made it to the flowers to do some damage.
But Neem got 98% of them.

 

[Heather]

The window I grow in is broken and I’m always griping to get it fixed. Now that I have more plants again, and am gardening outside the windows with whiteflies nibbling at everything mint related, I’m remembering why I didn’t garden much when I had orchids the last time! Probably not fixing the window anytime soon…