i dont know what these bugs are..

[bellaorchid]

so my orchids are all on my windowsill, they are healthy in the sense that they are all growing out new leaves and roots.. but every time i water any of them these little tiny tiny white bugs come running upwards i guess away from the water? im not sure what they are and if i should be concerned about them but i only seem to see them when i water. should i buy a spray to kill them? if so what kind?

[madphrag]

Sounds like fungus gnat larvae. Have you noticed tiny black flies hovering around the pot? If so, it's a good indication that your growing media has decayed and it's time to repot. They can damage the roots.

[bellaorchid]

no.. nothing fliying. They dont even seeem to grow themselves. And i never see them until i water, thats when they come running up. I should also say there is no visible damage to the leaves or roots could they be harmless?

[Phalcycle]

Tiny white bugs...
Ive seen these before. I dont know what they are called, but most of the time, I get them When my bark has decayed. This is a sign to repot to new bfresh bark

[11Orchid126]

What you have sounds like springtails. Invisible when the plant is dry, hopping around like crazy when watered. They like decayed medium, which may be an indication to repot. Soap and water, say a teaspoon of dish liquid to a quart of water, should do them in if used several times in a row.

[plucker]

An addition of a drop of phosphate free dishwashing liquid (I use morning fresh) for every gallon of water when fertilizing helps reduce and control these critters and helps the fertilizer get to the plant.
Since you have them already, I would add more dishwashing liquid for the next few times.

[orchids4me]

Interesting thread.... I had the gnats when I had some cheap sphag moss on top of my pots I have changed all my pots media since and sont use sphag unless I need to and I have the good stuff now if I do use any. I've only seen a gnat (only one) a couple times since and its been months. I've never got as bad to get the larva (knocks on wood) but good to know what to do if I ever do see those. Thanks for starting this thread.
Emmaye

[11Orchid126]

Gnats and springtails are quite different. Gnats are much harder to get rid of, so persistance is the key.