Yellow Buds on Healthy Phals

[mayres]

I have a good number (for me) of phals spiking and blooming right now and a couple of them have been coming up with bright yellow buds just before opening for some reason. I know all about the bud blast that occurs from bringing new plants into your environment, but these are plants that I have had for some time. I was very puzzled...........until today. I looked at two of the yellowed buds a little closer and noticed that each had a big FAT mealy in the bud stem of each! Yuck! Out came the Bayer Rose and Flower spray immediately after I physically extinguished all of the visible little buggers. Seems as soon as I think I have them cleared out another few show up somewhere! I also battle ants big time - and believe this is the source of those mealies? Anyone else notice similar problems?
mike

[Daniel S. Barrett]

HI,
It is known that some species of ants do herd and use mealy bugs & aphids like humans do cows & goats. The ant will herd or carry the bugs into their ant hills at night, & herd them or carry them back the next day to feed on plants....The ant slurps up a sticky sweet secretion that the mealy bug or aphid exudes while feeding on the plants juicy tissues. In return the mealy bug or aphid receives protection from predators by the ants.
(see the discovery channel or animal planet for more information, and video.)

[Daniel S. Barrett]

Both aphids & mealy bugs have the ability to fly right after morphing into the adult & breeding stage in their life.

[OhLaLa Orchids]

My mealybugs seem to be a bit more subtle in their approach. While i can often find them at the base of a tiny bud they don't tend to kill it. They often are inside the flower once it opens as if they grew up along with the bud. I've found small colonies at the base of Cattleya buds that seem to be growing just fine.