2007 mailing list messages

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From: jan
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Colour variation
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 05:25

Just a wild guess out of the blue, but one that might be possible: if
the two parents have slightly different temperature preferences, could
it be that you see more of one parent's colour when the temperature is
higher and more of another when it is lower?

Andy Mckeown wrote:
> Here are two pictures of the same plant, BLC Copper Queen showing marked difference between the colour in the last two flowerings − last July and presently. I can speculate that this may be due to the differencee between light levels in winter and summer but does anyone know the cause?

From: Esther Koh
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] a few of the delights which I found on my first visit to the gr
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 12:05

Did you do anything to encourage such a dense growth habit? Most of my
bulbos have spaced out pseudobulbs.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: War on pests.
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:10

First I must say that Tricia's little piece at the foot of her E-mail sums it all up!
Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it. How true.

You may remember my latest E-mail telling of the 'Midnight Raider' and how I was seeing some damage to buds and flowers. Well, let me tell you about what happened last evening. It goes back to a few days ago when I purchased a couple of nice Phalaenopsis quite cheaply from a Garden Centre. I stood them on a small table in our conservatory along with six Cyclamens and three other house plants. Two days ago I saw the damage to one of the Phalaenopsis flowers.....holes eaten in the petal. No visible trail of what caused the damage.

It was then that, as I told you, I tried the old method of applying a 'Grease band'. The grease band was in the form of a blob/smear of Vaseline.

Last evening about 7:30 pm I trundled out there with an electric torch in my hand..........and there stuck to the grease band was the 'Midnight Raider'. I immediately called the wife and showed her. It was a snail, not the usual type, more orange/brown, and I immediately got hold of it and threw it outside. DAMN! I FORGOT TO TAKE A PHOTO OF IT. Afterwards I thought that it may have come in with Phalaenopsis, maybe from Holland or the Garden Centre.

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Cycnoches Cooperi.
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:45

Hi Rodger,
When the spike appeared I repotted into pure sphagnum moss and have kept that on the wet side of damp.(how is that for a phrase?) I spray the plant twice a day as it is under the tubes of an old laminar flow cabinet I have but do not use just now as I am on the lookout for seed.
When I bought the plant it was in a spongy material whish tended to appear dry very quickly to the touch.
I will repot after the flowering has finished into hydroclea and again repot when new growths start.
By the way the flower now has a lovely spicy perfume. (fantastic).
Gordon.

> I bought a Cycnoches last year but the flower spike damped off or words
> to that effect. I look forward very much to its growth pattern in 2007
> and if I remember I will tell how it gets on.

> Like my Catasetums, and my one Cycnoches..........they are all being
> tied on to pieces of cork bark.

> I am sticking my neck out now, but you know it is always meant in the
> best way, but I do not like the look of what is in your pot. Do you
> like it? Are you thinking of repotting it into a type of medium that
> does not decompose as yours looks at the moment.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: The correct way to name a plant.
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:10

I remember Geoff some time ago told us the correct way to name a plant, and I have often thought about it, and when I was reading through one of my orchid books I came across this item which I thought put it in such a nice way. So why do we not all try to use the correct method when we talk about our plants.

My Dendrobium speciosum now has three spikes that are one inch long and already showing many buds.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Gordon's Cycnoches.
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:15

I must say that 'Our Club' does have it's benefits..........not only the sharing of information, but the little things that make us all smile/laugh. I refer to your 'and have kept that on the wet side of damp.(how is that for a phrase?)

So, on the wet side of damp it is, but mine still did not seem to like it. What works for one may not work for another. How many times have we heard that !!!

As I said before, this year my Cycnoches and Catasetums will all be tied to cork bark. Then I will hope that I get better results.

P.S. I have often wondered why my name Roger is sometimes misspellt Rodger as people always shorten it to Rodge.!!!!

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] a few of the delights which I found on my first visit to the gr
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:10

Nothing special , but it is now in maybe a 15 inch or 18 inch plant saucer -
the kind of dish a couple of inches deep intended to be used to catch drips
from a plant pot ( I use these quite a lot for short-rooted plants) with of
course many holes drilled in for drainage. It is impossible to repot , and
eventually I suppose I may just break it up and put a few pieces into a new
saucer to start all over ; but since it is still on the upward curve of
improvement in flower quality and quantity , not yet .
Compost − Perlite. It is hanging up from the roof − which I find Bulbo's
really appreciate.
Usually it is watered with a hosepipe from the mains water supply ( pH 7.5
and EC 550 is quite common ! − showing that getting everything according to
the book is not always essential ).

From: Esther Koh
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] War on pests.
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:15

From: francis quesada pallares
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] a few of the delights which I found on my first visit to the greenhouse today...
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:55

I bought one of them last year, but so far has done
pretty much nothing... It got a few new growths, but
alas, it keep aborting them after a while... I don't
know what I'm doing wrong. I tried moving it onto a
windowsill, so it gets a little more light, which
right now, in the winter, is not too strong, and I
water it very carefully, so that new growths don't rot
because of being too wet, but yet, it seems to do
nothing at all... Any advice on what should I do?

At the moment it's in a very loose pot (in which it
came), but I'm considering changing it to a home made
wood basket. The room in which I keep it is unheated,
and at the moment stays at a more or less constant 15
C.

Please, any of your expertise (or anyone's else) will
be more appreciated, as I would love to see the first
flowering on this magnificent plant!

> 1 Bulbophyllum Elizabeth 'Buckleberry' AM/RHS -
> with 20 spikes .now oif I
> coulkd get that to Vincent Square it would surely be
> worth an CCC/RGS.and it
> would be worth an OBE to me too for the effort
> involved .

From: Andy Mckeown
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Colour variation
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:05

I have been waiting to take another photo before commenting on your replies but the weather has been so dull that I would have needed a flash in the last few days and that would have modified the colour.

Tina I like your thinking ... but it is definitely one mature plant only. Geoff, I sincerely hope you are not right! I don't think it is virused. It seems very healthy with clean foliage and it flowers twice a year. Although the colour is different it is not streaked or uneven and all the 4 flowers are the same rather than what I associate with a colour break virus.

I have noticed before that there is a pinkish tinge to the flowers for the first week or so after opening. It was rather more marked this time − to say the least − but the colour is now more peachy than pink. See attached pic taken today.

I have looked on the web and seen pics of both forms (yellow/orange and peach). The colour now makes sense of the name − copper queen.

I think it is caused by environmental/cultural differences. I have not changed feed or growing medium. I have moved it from a shelf where it got more light and I have increased the MNW temperature by 2 degrees. After the first photo last week I moved it into a very bright situation and then the pink toned down.

From: Andy Mckeown
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Andy's eyesight !!!
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:10

Here's one of the plants I had from you that day − loking lovely right now with 20 something flowers on 2 leads. A real cracker!

Tina thought that it was April 1st, but I reckon you have been hitting the bottle ha, ha.

From: Andy Mckeown
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Hybrids.
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:25

I see there's been some comment that this posting has been resent to some people. I have just received it for the first time for whatever reason. Makes sense of some of the replies. I am not that keen on the plant in the top pic but I have the one below it. I am not really all that keen on phals but I think I am affected by the fact that they are everywhere. However I remember in the late 70s or early 80s I would have been very glad to have ANY phal I could get my hands on! I currently have one out, originally bought from the supermarket or IKEA I think, It has been in flower since July 2006 and is still going strong. Nothing surprising there − but at it's best it had over 40 flowers. This (not very good) pic is from Sept

From: Andy Mckeown
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Colour variation
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 22:20

That is a possibility. I have increased the MNW temp thermostat to 15 from
12 but I don't knoew if it would
have fallen as low as 12 last summer.

> Just a wild guess out of the blue, but one that might be possible: if
> the two parents have slightly different temperature preferences, could
> it be that you see more of one parent's colour when the temperature is
> higher and more of another when it is lower?

From: Andy Mckeown
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] a few of the delights which I found on my first visit to the greenhouse today...
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 22:20

Fantastic Bulbo Geoff − How long have you been growing that? I like the D
Christmas Chime too, nice colour contrast

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Spelling
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 23:10

Roger, apologies for putting a "d" where it should not have been. Up here the "d" is the norm.
Gordon.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Green with envy.
Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2007 08:30

To say that you have done very well is an understatement matey. You have grown that plant wonderfully.

Mine is still in bud as yet. One of the spikes was decimated by another 'Midnight Raider'.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] a few of the delights which I found on my first visit to the greenhouse today...
Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2007 11:25

The Dendrobium surprised me , when I got home late last night and went into
the dining room − where it is gracing the table − by being scented , and
quite nicely too. I can't recall noticing this before with a nobile hybrid.

> Fantastic Bulbo Geoff − How long have you been growing that? I like the D
> Christmas Chime too, nice colour contrast

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Andy's eyesight !!!
Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2007 11:25

> HI Roger
>
> Thanks for the character reference!
>
> Here's one of the plants I had from you that day − loking lovely right now
> with 20 something flowers on 2 leads. A real cracker!

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] a few of the delights which I found on my first visit to the greenhouse today...
Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2007 11:35

Any orchid − any plant , every plant − MUST be fixed in position , so if
"loose" means it can float around a bit , the first essential is to wire,
tie or somehow fix the plant in two different places, so that it can't move.
The growing tips of roots are as delicate as the skin of a baby , and
whilst they can push through grit unharmed, this is by adding a cell at a
time − so as to displace the compost or whatever so very slowly. If the
plant can move, it is as if the sensitive tip is being sandblasted.

> ...At the moment it's in a very loose pot (in which it
> came), but I'm considering changing it to a home made
> wood basket. The room in which I keep it is unheated,
> and at the moment stays at a more or less constant 15
> C.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Hybrids.
Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2007 11:45

Phals are certainly 'looked down on' by many people , and some will think
this is a kind of snobbery ,

And I have to admit that I want to grow orchids which other people do not
grow , and certainly elsewhere in my garden I tend to 'look down on' things
like marigolds and petunias which the garden centres sell in millions, and
look for something different for my own patch. So I'm as guilty as everyone
else.

However , I do like a good phally , but good includes flower count. Show me
a plant with 20 or more flowers , and its good to me. But rarely seen .

The best I think, are the really perfect whites , when well flowered. My
local garden centre has some nice ones at the moment , with quite good sized
flowers , but as they are asking £35 each for plants with two spikes and
maybe half a dozen buds or flowers on each, I am not in the queue ( not that
there is a queue ). Since the garden centre buys from the same sources as
the UK trade, it will be interesting to see if white phallys reappear at the
forthcoming shows !

It seems that the reason we don't see whites on offer these days is that
they mostly come from Taiwan, and white is not a popular colour there , it
is the colour for funerals !

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Colour variation
Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2007 12:00

I must have misunderstood your first posting , I had thought that the rather
poorly shaped and all orange flowers were the latest , and the better shaped
more peachy were last year's flowers. I think it is the other way round ? In
which case, the plant is maturing , settling down, doing better. ?

I looked it up in Wildcatt by the way. Must say I can't see where that
lovely lip comes from. On the pie chart , ¼ is L milleri, ¼ is B . nodosa ,
¼ is C dowiana, and the other part is made up of so many different names
that it is hard to sort out , about 8 different L or C species and a tiny
chip of B digbyana.

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Apology repeated
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 01:20

May I again apologise to Orchid-Talkers for the irritating request for read receipts for my mail opened and/or read on Orchid-Talk recently. I have no idea how the receipt facility switched itself on but there should be no further problem unless history can auto-repeat itself!
John Stanley

From: Esther Koh
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] a few of the delights which I found on my first visit to the gr
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 11:35

Wow, I can't even see the dish. I gather the plant has trailed over the
edge. Did you just lay the plant on top of the perlite to start it off? Was
it tied down to the dish?

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Non orchid question
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:55

Has anyone solved the FreeCell card game number 11982? It has me beat until now and I am wondering if there is a solution.
Gordon.

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: A change
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:05

As a change from those glorious hybrids here are a couple of my Restrepias that have hardly any hybrids as they are not a commercial investment.They are an amazing little species that could be grown indoorsin a cool room.
Today the sun is shining in Devon. Regards

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Hybrids.
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:10

The plant in question could be Dtps. Purple Gem. I attach a picture of my plant
which is not as good as the one sent earlier. The sepals and petals are much
fuller and the colour seems to be more intense.
Kind regards
Peter from Bloubergstrand

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] a few of the delights which I found on my first visit to the gr
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:10

I with plants in saucers, "pot-bound" and growing over the rim , I often
drop the saucer into a new one, and hide it with more Perlite and grit − it
is less disturbance to the root system . I would not be surprised to find a
9 inch saucer somewhere in the pot if and when I eventually break it up.
Tieing down ? I often do it , but in the circumstances here , I doubt if it
ever was , or if it was, it would have been originally and not since.

From: TONY GARTHWAITE
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Question
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:55

Gordon,
Some 6(?) years ago, I was advised by a 'trade stand person' (on a stand
displaying and selling orchids) to use Neem oil to get rid of scale
insects.
I now use Provado for that purpose, but I seem to remember having some
sorry looking orchids after using the oil which relates to Tina's
comment on 'blocking pores'.
Having said that, the medical profession seem to like Tee Tree oil as a
'Miracle Do-it -Yourself Cure-All........But don't quote me on that!
However, it is very good on skin problems which are probably fungal in
origin.

> Has anyone any experience with the use of Tea Tree oil on orchid plants
> and if so what were the results?

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: The 'Midnight raider'
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:15

I was in my greenhouse this morning doing a bit of a 'Spring Clean' and I was looking at the Cattleya that had its spike and all of the buds eaten when I finally saw what had been causing all of the damage..........another 'Midnight Raider'.

The size of the little beastie amazed me. it was about fifteen millimetres long by about two or three wide. Such a tiny little rascal but it sure did so much damage.

IF I HAD THE TIME, I would have applied a grease [Vaseline] band around the pseudobulb as I did with the Phally.

It's not a great photo, but I hope it will show all of us just how vigilant we have to be.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Fixed in position.
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:30

I could not agree more what Geoff said about an orchid being firmly fixed. How many times have we seen people bring along an orchid to a Society and put it on the 'Show table'. Then whoever is looking at the plants picks up the plant to inspect it/give it the once over and immediately throws out the free hand to try to stop the damned thing from falling on the floor.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Oh Dennis !!!
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:40

I for one was absolutely delighted to see your plant of Restrepia sanguinea. It was yonks ago when I first set eyes on a similar plant at Wylde Court, when Terry and Eddie where there. And I have never forgotten it.

So my good friend, where can I get a similar plant, and what exactly do you use as a growing medium and at what temperature.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: Oh Dennis !!!
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:15

From: Sharon Williams
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Fixed in position.
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 18:50

Hi Rocky, thanks for the superb photo! Do you know what kind of Catt that is? I am surprised that it is in as shaded an environment as it appears to be. It must be in shade a good part of the day. I for one grow my catts in much brighter light than that.
Cheers
Sharon

> I could not agree more what Geoff said about an orchid being firmly
> fixed. How many times have we seen people bring along an orchid to a
> Society and put it on the 'Show table'. Then whoever is looking at the
> plants picks up the plant to inspect it/give it the once over and
> immediately throws out the free hand to try to stop the damned thing
> from falling on the floor.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: What have I done wrong now !!!
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:20

Tricia has intercepted my E-mail and put a strange squiggle under my piece about 'Waiting with baited breath'.

Being an old New Forester who would not harm a fly, [only Midnight Raiders] and being a most amenable character who believes passionately in being a 'Good Samaritan, and knowing nothing about English grammar I ask what is wrong, with a smile on my face.

So, as I sit here listening to a recording of Bunk Johnson with the Geo Lewis band playing 'Tiger Rag' I shall say this to you:

Now listen mush, us New Foresters aint much up with the English language, so could you please put me right.

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Oh Dennis !!!
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:35

Roger, If you send me your address direcr I'll be happy to send you a leaf cutting. To root it you pot it up in wet moss and keep it wet and cool. To geta plant of the size in the photo takes about 4 yrs. I keep my plants in a 50/50 mixture of moss and perlite.
For Geoff, I agree they are difficult to distinguish but at this time of year , when they mainly flower , the differences are easily seen. I have about 45 species with another 5 variations and am enjoying the various flowers every morning.
regards

> I for one was absolutely delighted to see your plant of Restrepia
> sanguinea. It was yonks ago when I first set eyes on a similar plant at
> Wylde Court, when Terry and Eddie where there. And I have never
> forgotten it.

> So my good friend, where can I get a similar plant, and what exactly do
> you use as a growing medium and at what temperature.

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Question
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 20:40

Hi Tony, Thanks for taking the time to reply.
My question to the club was more for an open discussion than anything else
but if anyone had been brave enough to experiment with tea tree oil on their
orchids I just wondered what the results were.
I also wondered if anyone has an insect problem such as Rocky with his
"midnight raider" he/she would be willing to try a solution of tea tree oil
as a spray directly on to the "pest" and let us know what happens as a first
step to a conclusion.
Gordon.

> Gordon,
> Some 6(?) years ago, I was advised by a 'trade stand person' (on a stand
> displaying and selling orchids) to use Neem oil to get rid of scale
> insects.
> I now use Provado for that purpose, but I seem to remember having some
> sorry looking orchids after using the oil which relates to Tina's comment
> on 'blocking pores'.
> Having said that, the medical profession seem to like Tee Tree oil as a
> 'Miracle Do-it -Yourself Cure-All........But don't quote me on that!
> However, it is very good on skin problems which are probably fungal in
> origin.
>
> What problem are you considering using it against?

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk[ Re: What have I done wrong now !!!
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:05

On 11 Jan, Roger Grier wrote:
> Tricia has intercepted my E-mail and put a strange squiggle under my
> piece about 'Waiting with baited breath'.

Not as you spelt it, though. I think you meant 'bated'. Baited breath could
be very smelly (think of what fishermen put on hooks)!

> So, as I sit here listening to a recording of Bunk Johnson with the Geo
> Lewis band playing 'Tiger Rag' I shall say this to you:

> Now listen mush, us New Foresters aint much up with the English language,
> so could you please put me right.

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re; A new ight on midnight raiders !
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:30

Some of the most prevalent of midnight raiders seem to be slugs and we all know that they often find their way into places that defy logic and have made me wonder if , perhaps, they fly in through the roof vents after dark!!!

At an in-house meeting of our orchid society last Friday, a fellow member showed a series of colour slides taken in his greenhouse after dark which revealed slug behaviour even more astonishing than my tongue-in-cheek suggestion above.

He had been checking for unwelcome visitors by torchlight and was eventually able to photograph a suspended spinning object, a slug, abseiling from the roof on a mucilaginous thread. Since then I have been busying myself trying to discover more about the beast and maybe if its mate could have been up there up there paying out the line! (joke!)

Truth is often stranger than fiction and it transpires that the slug Limax maximus (which, as some of you will know, isn't the smallest of slugs) is one of about six species known to abseil on a thread of mucilage. Another is Lehmannia marginata, (the tree slug) Furthermore, this antic is also involved in the beasts' mating ritual whereby an amorous pair will purposefully intertwine while so suspended (Own up! Who mumbled "swinging from the chandelier"?).

For those prepared to take time off from slug-pelleting, grease banding, beer-baiting, coffeine poisoning and underfoot compacting, may I suggest a couple of web-sites?
http://members.tripod.com/arnobrosi/limacidae.html
http://delta-intkey.com/britmo/www/poems.htm (you may need to be in the Yahoo search engine to locate this second one but do persevere!)

If any of you already knew about such molluscan antics or have pictures and other info., please share with us. I have to say that I have always had a soft spot for slugs but now I have even more respect for them than before!

An analogous habit is well known in the caterpiller world − in which case a grease band might not help Roger, whose plight prompted this email!

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re; A new ight on midnight raiders !
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 10:10

Mind you , I was intending to do a message about slug behaviour, after
taking down my Vandas − which hang from wires suspended along the roof of
the greenhouse, and finding some of their slimy trails on one pot. I had
assumed a tight-rope walk along the wire − and rather admired the tenacity
of purpose − especially since there was no damage to the plant , and a Vanda
does not seem to be the sort of thing they usually munch . In fact , I think
I ought to pity the beast − all that work for no reward !

From: Paul Johnson
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] The 'Midnight raider'
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:35

Ah, a cutworm, Family Noctuidae, probably a species of Helicoverpa.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pestnote/helicov1.htm

These are generalist feeders on most any soft and tasty plant
tissue. They do very well in agricultural and urban areas. Adults
are attracted lights.

> Hi all,
>
> I was in my greenhouse this morning doing a bit of a 'Spring Clean'
> and I was looking at the Cattleya that had its spike and all of the
> buds eaten when I finally saw what had been causing all of the
> damage..........another 'Midnight Raider'.
>
> The size of the little beastie amazed me. it was about fifteen
> millimetres long by about two or three wide. Such a tiny little
> rascal but it sure did so much damage.
>
> IF I HAD THE TIME, I would have applied a grease [Vaseline] band
> around the pseudobulb as I did with the Phally.
>
> It's not a great photo, but I hope it will show all of us just how
> vigilant we have to be.
>
> Regards, Rocky.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Information
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:40

Thanks for the very interesting information on the slugs, it just shows how our 'Club' does provide the information that is often lacking in books that we read.

I will take you up on the kind offer. There is plenty of wonderful sphagnum moss close to home.

As to that plant..........I just think that it may be a Brassavola ??? And as you have touched on a subject that I have often wondered about I will post a couple of other photos. The 'subject' being that we often see what we think are soft leaved plants growing under a very hot sun. Take for instance the photos of some Catasetums. These and others were taken in Mexico/Costa Maya/Ancient ruin.........no not me you fool!!!

I must admit that I guess that many orchids get hot sunshine FOR PART OF THE DAY. And so the soft leaved ones that we so protect here in England could be given more light. Any constructive comments from anyone ?

From: Paul Johnson
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re; A new ight on midnight raiders !
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:45

John et al.,
Hey, you did not mention a couple of other quaint points about Limax
maximus. They are hermaphrodites, while swinging on mucilagenous
chandeliers or otherwise − hmm, that sounds kinky enough for
somebody to make a movie. And, sexual maturation is apparently
determined by photoperiod. Here is one interesting article:
http://jbr.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/16/4/391.pdf

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re; A new ight on midnight raiders !
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:20

It does occur to me that "abseiling" is not quite the right word. How about
bungee jumping ? Since mucilaginous implies an inherent elastomeric quality
( I worked for Dunlop Rubber Co.- a hundred years ago − well I exaggerate,
it was only 48 years ago − they were a British company then , but lets not
start all that stuff ; we are talking about molluscs I think , not
dinosaurs).

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Information
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:30

'0669 of course , is not of catasetums, maybe the one on the right is a
mule-eared Oncidium ( no doubt a something-else-ianum by now ) and not a
palm tree − for once, I'm not splitting hairs Roger , just commenting..

But your catesetums on palm trees -as far as my ignorance extends, they are
the only orchids which do grow on palms ? Does anyone know different ? .

Funny story (?) When I went to the Gran'Sabana on a tour in Venezuela some
years ago , I was all agog to get to the top of one of those vertical sided
mountains (tepuis I think they are called) having read Dunsterville (Orchid
Hunting in the Lost World, and elsewhere in Venezuela) .I never did , of
course , my missus wouldn't let me join an expedition up the famously tall
one − said she might never see me again , and then who was to carry her
suitcase to the check-in ? But whilst there , still being in a state of
ignorance ( still am, most of the time ) I went straight past the stands
of palms ("gallery forest" )saying , "can't be any orchids there.."

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re; A new ight on midnight raiders !
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:50

Alright Geoff; bungee jumping if you prefer!
I suppose it's just on the point of going back on the rebound that they bite the choice bit off the best orchid bud? Even cleverer than I'd thought! Ah, the wonders of Intelligent Design . . . .
John

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Name required.
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 18:15

Andy, tiz me, your old New Forest buddy. Now then Andy, I recently saw a Cattleya that looked very similar to the type that we both have, although the sepals and the petals were a little darker.

It was the well known: Cattleya Chocolate Drop. The parentage being Cattleya guttata x Cattleya aurantiaca.

I know that our plant has no name, but I have not given up trying to find its name, so what do you think? Can you please post a larger photo of it to the Club so that members can see what it looks like. Yours this year is far better than mine have ever been.

MONTH	DATE	DATE	DATE	DATE	MONTH	DATE	DATE	DATE	DATE
January	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	February	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-28
March	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	April	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30
May	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	June	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30
July	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	August	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31
September	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30	October	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31
November	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30	December	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31

2007 Archived Messages

January 8—14