insects on my orchid plants

[sunny9]

Hi, I noticed as I water my phalenopsis plants that little tiny bugs, the size of knats seem to either crawl, or fly out of the plant--especially when I am doing my weeking waterings, and misting.

Are these bugs harmful to the plants? All my plants are kept indoors, and I mist them daily, as well as water them each week.

I noticed knat-like bugs from the plants for about 3 months, but the insects disappeared. Then this week, I seem to notice they are back again. All my plants are kept indoors. They all appear healthy, with green leaves, and lots of them. But very little flowering going on.

Anyone have these problems, and are the insects harmful to the plants?

I have Phalenopsis and cattelyas.

Thanks

[ryan_d_cruz]

check ur planting medium, these gnats appear when there is some decaying/fermenting plant material, reduce your watering and mist only lightly. Also improve air circulation and lighting around the plant, this will eliminate the bugs. by the way I do get this problem once in a way and have not found them to harm the plant adversely

Do the insects seem dormant until you water, then they hop all over the place? If so, they're springtails. They like medium or soil that is decaying. A soapy water spray might kill them, then you will have to repot because it's an indication that the medium is breaking down.

sounds like fungus gnats, more air movement, u might cut down on watering a bit. get a mag. glass and take a look treat the bug once you get the correct identification

[sunny9]

Thanks to all for your response. Yes, the gnats come out when I water. I do have them in my living room, by the window, and during the winter I just don't open the window, because it is too cold. Are you suggesting that I put at fan on, indoors, once in a while?

I water my plants once a week--the bark seems very dry by the time I water again. Should I cut down watering even further?

Thanks,
Sunny 9

[caab285]

This situation has just occurred with my Orchid also! I was going to re pot the plant for a second time (since i re potted to a larger pot). However I changed my mind about re potting again and allow the plant to dry out more and see what happens. I hope that this situation clears up. This is my first orchid and I am doing my best to take excellent care of it!

[glossterline]

Insects tend to get a very bad press and we are too keen to reach for the chemicals whenever we see them. Only a small proportion of the million or more species harm man, plants, or animals. A great number assist in the breakdown of dead material and help to recycle nutriments. Thus, the gnats could well be emerging from larvae that have been feeding on (and breaking down ) the compost in the pots; they are just doing what they have been doing for the past 200 million years - long before we began to love orchids!

Unless they are seen to be causing harm, it is better not to try to eradicate them. As 'duhhdog' says, find out what they are first. Having said that, the identification of insects is not the easiest task to undertake.

Les

[jbigio]

Got to disagree most will also feed on the hairs on the roots and leave openning for infection. Get rid of them

Originally Posted by glossterline

Insects tend to get a very bad press and we are too keen to reach for the chemicals whenever we see them. Only a small proportion of the million or more species harm man, plants, or animals. A great number assist in the breakdown of dead material and help to recycle nutriments. Thus, the gnats could well be emerging from larvae that have been feeding on (and breaking down ) the compost in the pots; they are just doing what they have been doing for the past 200 million years - long before we began to love orchids!

Unless they are seen to be causing harm, it is better not to try to eradicate them. As 'duhhdog' says, find out what they are first. Having said that, the identification of insects is not the easiest task to undertake.

Les

[purpleorchids]

I have them on my orchids too! I'm pretty sure I read somewhere here that bathing them with soapy water (from washing up liquid) or spraying them with cinnamon extract recipe might help. Someone here will probably tell us more about it.

[glossterline]

There are scores of types of insect larvae that feed in decaying plant material and soil: they eat other insects, plant matter, bacteria, and fungi for example. Only if I knew what the insects were in the original thread, would I be able to say whether or not they damage roots.
Insects that live on dead plant matter make available nutriments that are in turn used by the plants themselves. This is a natural way of recycling materials and to me it is not a good idea to interfere, unless I am certain that what I am doing is not harmful. Man has a very poor record when it comes to interfering with age-old environmental processes.
Killing the insects has only short-term effects in any case. Gnats are mobile and will recolonise the growing medium unless the plants are isolated in sterile conditions.

Les