---
title: "Help/advice needed: Systemic w/ Imidacloprid … concentrate is…"
description: "Help/advice needed: Systemic w/ Imidacloprid … concentrate is unavailable (banned) in stores and online in my area - California, USA; only granules are…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/JmTUi1iSQr6-tX35luAMXQ/jGUULslKn2kl5PkrQt24gd"
community: "The Orchid Oasis"
author: "Chris J Tiger"
published: "2025-06-08T04:51:38.876895Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v2/cloudinary/global_data/communities/theOrchidOasis.jpg"
---

[Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [The Orchid Oasis](https://getplanta.com/community/JmTUi1iSQr6-tX35luAMXQ.md)

# Help/advice needed: Systemic w/ Imidacloprid … concentrate is…

_Posted by Chris J Tiger on 2025-06-08_

Help/advice needed:  
Systemic w/ Imidacloprid … concentrate is unavailable (banned) in stores and online in my area - California, USA; only granules are available. I wrote to Bonide regarding their systemic granules; they confirmed their granule product is not designed for orchid bark/moss.

Advice on how to treat/defend my orchids from mealy bugs⛑️?

(I still have some concentrate w/Imidacloprid, but preparing an alternative for when I run out)

## 2 comments

### MeasomerPi commented on 2025-06-08

I’ve had good results with isopropyl alcohol. Kills mealy bugs on contact.

Insecticidal soap has also worked for me, but it tends to require multiple applications.

### Jen commented on 2025-06-08

I have only ever used alcohol as well. It works incredibly well. You may want to start with a repot if you have an infestation as they can colonize in and around the roots.

Use a Q-tip dipped in alcohol to manually remove any mealy bugs you see, then soak the other end of the q-tip and swipe inside the crown and leaf joints on your plant.

I would do this again two or three times over the course of the next couple weeks, just to be sure you’ve gotten anything hiding deep in the nooks and crannies. In a month you would have gotten any of the newly hatched or eggs that were still hiding in your orchid.

---

_Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_