Santa brought me an orchid buts it has bugs?

[gosmart10]

There was an phalaenopsis under the tree this morning it's white with red spots love it, this will be my 5th orchid! It came in a pot with in a pot and the outside had no hole to drain the water, so the poor orchid was sitting in water! First thing I did was take the inside pot out and get some air moving over the roots! But I saw small white bugs in the pot I don't know what they are but I don't think they should be there? The roots look great they are nice and green and are firm, I have been wanting to buy something just incase I got bugs in any of my other orchids, but idk what kind would be good? So I thought I would ask you all on here, any help would be great! O I have my new orchid in a other room away from all my other orchids! Thanks for everyones help! I would have uploaded pics but just didn't have time this morning, they just look like little white bugs very very small I can see they have lots of legs if that helps any? Thanks again!

[FLBob]

Sorry to hear that your orchid has bugs. The bugs can easily be washed off the plant. But monitor the plant and keep it away from the other 4.

I don't think there is any pot better than an unglazed terracotta orchid pot.

[gosmart10]

Originally Posted by FLBob

Sorry to hear that your orchid has bugs. The bugs can easily be washed off the plant. But monitor the plant and keep it away from the other 4.

I don't think there is any pot better than an unglazed terracotta orchid pot.

Even if the bugs are down in the bark?

[Olive Cook]

If the bugs are in the bark the best thing to do really would be to change the medium, even just to new bark. (just be sure to presoak the bark 24-48 hours before the repot )

[FLBob]

Originally Posted by gosmart10

Even if the bugs are down in the bark?

No, hose the bark and the bugs off the plant before you repot.

[gosmart10]

Originally Posted by Olive Cook

If the bugs are in the bark the best thing to do really would be to change the medium, even just to new bark. (just be sure to presoak the bark 24-48 hours before the repot )

Yep I have done that with my last 2 repots! I will get on that first thing next week! I will also be sure to hose off the roots before repot! Thanks again form everyones help!!

[sunshine]

Sounds like mealy bugs. A good insecticidal soap will work. If you choose to use the same pot make sure you give it a good scrubbing in some hot soapy water with a splash of bleach,rinse in hot water and let air dry. This will kill just about anything living nasty thing in the pot.

[kmarch]

It would be helpful if we could figure out precisely what kind of bugs they are. Different bugs respond to different eradication methods. I agree with sunshine and I'm guessing mealies maybe? If so mealies are pretty easy to get rid of. I do what she does and use a couple applications of insecticidal soap.

[gosmart10]

Do I just spray the insecticidal soap on the top of the bark and then water the orchid and let the soup run down though the bark? Or do I need to take it out of the pot?

[sunshine]

You have enough posts too post pictures. Pictures would be very helpful.

Your phal is probably packed in sphag in a plastic pot then set inside another. Those little white bugs shouldn't be there. Here's what I would do.

Unpot the phal and repot into a medium your comfortable with. Remember if your gonna use a bark mixture or coco chip bark to soak for about 24 hrs. Use a pot that has good drainage. If you must reuse the one your orchid came in wash with some good hot soapy/bleach water and a good scrubbing. This will kill anything nasty in the pot. Rinse well. Here is an excellent thread on repotting a phal. I have used this thread and it is very easy to follow and I also use it as a guide for repotting some of my other orchids.

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/new...enopsis-2.html

You can buy a good insecticidal soap at any garden center, greenhouse/nursery.Another item you may want to pick up a good fungicide and this you can use on mealies too. You need to spray the whole plant .

[11Orchid126]

The bugs could also be springtails. They are tiny things that are invisible until you water, then they jump all over the place. They like rotting medium. Soapy detergent water will do them in. You must drench the soil a couple of times. I wouldn't repot into fresh medium until you've gotten rid of them all, otherwise you can infect the new medium with their eggs.

[gosmart10]

I tried to take pics but the bugs are just too small, they didn't show up on the pic! I googled the springtails and that looks like them! They just look like little whilte dots! I am going to get some insecticidal soap and give that a few days to work and then xrepot into a new pot! The only thing I am worried about now is that the orchid is in bloom but I dont want the little bugs eating all my roots!

[Joe Geoffroy]

gosmart10

If your Orchid is in bloom I would not disturb it now but flush the pot completly for a couple of days with Safer soap this will take care of those rascals.
God luck

Joe