I laid some newly purchased orchids on the floor in the green house a couple of weeks ago due to the fact the arrived with scale and possible mealies. These were a private purchase and not real expensive. I sprayed them with sun oil and placed them on the floor. Then two applications of Enstar II. At first I noticed a couple of leaves on the floor. No problem I thought, many of them had poor roots. Then this morning I noticed a couple of large leaves off of the catts. These were green and looked eaten off on the bottom. Then I noticed the new angrecium. Another whole leaf gone, a second leaf almost completely eaten off and holes everywhere. All this on a plant that had no roots. I just can't stand it. Only good thing is they haven't gone onto the main shelves and got to the buds and flowering orchids. And God help them if they touch my beloved paphs. I just got back from the hardware store. I bought 2 glue traps 4 wooden snap traps and poison bait. All I can say, is KILL, KILL, KILL! Sorry I'm pretty upset. 3 of the orchids now have no leaves at all. My wife Donna understands but still couldn't hold back a little snicker. She thinks I'm over reacting. Although she did offer to buy some new replacement orchids if need be.

Sorry about the long post. I just figured someone out there might understand or even know of a special trick of catching those critters.

bob that sucks!! i am sorry get them buggers :twisted: :twisted:

Hey there Bob

That's not what I'd call a long post and I know how you feel. Had the same problem when I had finches in one of my Greenhouses. Mice setup home there as well and nibbled new shoots as well as leaves.

Couple of things;

1. I found that the mice here also ate snail bait. It set them back a fair bit.
2. I no longer have any finches or mice because our local snakes discovered them. Would you be able to introduce a local predator? :)

Glue traps work as do the other forms of control. But I was much happier that the local snake(s) got something out of it - shame about my finches but.

Cheers
Stephan

Since I put out the 3 spring traps, 2 glue taps and bait I haven't noticed anything getting caught. Nor any more damage to the plants. Although the damage would be easy to miss, at least initially. I must have just scared them off with my anger.

If you treated the plants with Enstar and the mice ate them, then they might be goners anyway! :evil:

Goog news. :lol: This morning I found a nice fat DEAD mouse laying in the greenhouse. He must have eaten some of the poisin bate. Were there is one there are probable more. The greenhouse is connected to the house and there is an opening betweeen it and the basement. So, no predator of mice for me. I've always hated mice. Living in the country every fall they find there way into my basement and if not erradicated swiftly will head off to the attic. I was surprised as to how much damage they did so quickly. I'll keep up the vigilance and win.

Bob I too have mouse problems starting in the fall. It is part of country living :poke: I find baiting my spring traps with peanut butter usually gets them. I tried poison bait pellets in the basement one year and found it later in a kitchen draw. Last time I used poison bait.

Good luck hunting!

Good luck getting rid of the mice. I've seen them make nests in large pots, eating their way through roots to do it. They like to make nests in any hiding place they can find, so be sure to look around for suspicious nesting material.

I lost one of my large, favorite, phrag. Mary Bess this year due to just that. A rat/mouse had dug out a huge hole eating all its roots, to nest in. The rats and mice in my greenhouse love the green new roots and have an affinity for pink and purple blooms. They love the new orchid buds. They seem to come in waves and I treat, they die and then return. It's a never ending battle :mad:

I understand you anger Bob...I would say get a cat, but I know they would destroy the leaves also.

Bob,

I understand your problem! I had the same problem this week! I saw signs of a mouse!
Today, I happened to look up at some orchids and this is what I saw!


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/Greenpaph/14a55cfe.jpg

I don't know how the mouse got up 10 feet high and then into the circulating fan. The fan must have hit him (her). I got rid of the dead mouse!

Wow! a new kind of mouse trap!