Greetings,

I've got a nepenthes, probably a N. coccinea hybrid, which had been putting on rapid new growth until about four or five days ago, when all the leaves seemed to get dull and dessiccated. Scale insects are the cause, and when I found them I didn't feel I had any time to lose before treatment. I'm not sure I've done the right thing, though, as I know these plants, as with other carnivorous types, to be sensitive to any chemicals in water and air that are alien to the plants' natural habitats. But I thought it best to do something right then and there, as the plant is small and the scale had already sucked half the life out of it.

What I did was to spray the leaves thoroughly with insecticidal soap, wait a couple of minutes, then wash it off (with tap water, not having any distilled on hand). I hoped that would be enough time to kill the scale, and not enough time to damage the foliage. Then I gently scraped off all of the scales I could see. I fashioned a "biodome" of cellophane around the plant and put it in a warm, well-lit corner. Now I'll wait and see.

Does this sound like a reasonable emergency treatment? Would there be a better way to treat it? Any opinions about my plant's prognosis?

Thanks,

cranebill