Are all bugs bad bugs?

[dipasquo]

This morning when doing some watering I discovered a multitude of tiny insects in the pots of several young plants. When I shined a flashlight on them they quickly scurried out of the light and to the underside of the bark. They are tiny, a millimeter or less in length, and appear white/silver under flashlight. Hard to describe them since they've run out of sight, but they were oval shaped with 4 or 6 legs and two antennae. Question is, are all bugs bad bugs - and should I get right on with some insecticide treatment and/or repotting into new bark - or should I just keep them separate and keep an eye on the plants for awhile? Thanks,

Dan

[patticake]

All bugs are not bad, like lady bugs outdoors. They eat "bad bugs". We would need a photo or better discription of these "bugs". They could be small silverfish or centipedes- Hard to tell- Good luck-

[dipasquo]

These guys are microscopic - I'm sure that my camera could not get a decent photo of them even if I could catch them before they scurried away. They do not look like silverfish or centipedes from the look that I got, unless the tiny ones have different features.

[Tobi]

Are these guys primarily in the bark? If so, they could be fungal gnats. They usually
scoot around and under the bark when they're not flying. They are usually more of
a nuisance then harmful to your plants. They feed off the decaying bark. Have you
seen any of them flying around when you move or water your plants?

[dipasquo]

Yes, sorry I didn't say so originally, but I have not seen any sign of them on the plant itself, but on/around/under the bark. I just looked again at the 3 plants where I had seen them and there is no sign of them; perhaps they only show their faces when they're chased up by my watering, as was the case this morning. So far I have not seen them take flight, and if they have wings it was not obvious, but they are very small and I might not have seen them.

So, if they're not on the plants themselves but just running around in the bark (presumably on or near roots, too), should I be less concerned? Thanks,

Dan

[janet_a]

hmm. moving fast, you say?

baby pillbugs maybe?

[Tobi]

If they are indeed young fungal gnats, then you can try either using a mild dish washing
detergent mixed with your water when you water or using mosquito dunks which one of
our Moderators has recommended to temporarily get rid of them. As I stated before, they
usually are not harmful to the plant itself. When it's time to repot, fresh bark and good
air circulation usually helps as well. Do you grow your orchids inside or outside? If they
are possibly pillbugs as Janet suggeted, they also don't cause alot of harm either. But
pillbugs are usually somewhat larger.

[dipasquo]

My plants are all indoors, and as such do not have a lot of air moving over them. I will try to get some additional air circulation going in the short term. I will read up on the dish washing detergent and mosquito dunks approaches and keep an eye to see if I can figure out what type of bugs these are and if they are bothering the plants or just hanging out in the bark. Thanks -- Dan

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by dipasquo

I will try to get some additional air circulation going in the short term.

I recommend getting some additional air circulation permenantly. Good air circulation is important in preventing a number of fungal and insect problems and is highly beneficial to the health of the plant. The vast majority of orchid species are constantly bathed in nice fresh air in thie native habitats and the hybrids we derive from these species fare best when they have lots of fresh air.

I grow most of my orchids indoors and I have one 16-inch oscillating fan and 2 small "bun" fans (about 6 inches) going constantly. When you step into the room you feel a slight breeze. As a result I have almost no fungal or insect problems with around 400 plants.

[11Orchid126]

They might also be springtails. These creatures live in the bark and are nearly invisible until you water. Then they start hopping around like crazy. I believe Tobi's recommendations for a mild dishwashing detergent, a teaspoon to a quart, should work. These creatures also like a mix that is breaking down. Make an attempt to irradicate them before you repot.