What is that?

[Cintirella]

gnats? so should I be concerned? how can I rid of them? why are they flying about?

---------- Post added at 05:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:39 PM ----------

I'am afraid to taste it since I read somewhere is the bug's waste.. know what I mean? Yikes ! That's why I'm researching this subject.

[james mickelso]

The picture you showed us tells us that it is what some call happy juice. It is a sweet liquid from the plant. The biggest issue with it can be sooty mold which thrives on the sugars in the sap. It's not bug poo. Here's some pics. It happens mostly on flower sheaths as these are somewhat thin and it is easily exuded from the tissue.

[Wynn Dee13]

Originally Posted by Cintirella

gnats? so should I be concerned? how can I rid of them? why are they flying about?

---------- Post added at 05:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:39 PM ----------

I'am afraid to taste it since I read somewhere is the bug's waste.. know what I mean? Yikes ! That's why I'm researching this subject.

Gnats don't harm orchids. They don't feed on them. You might be seeing gnats that live in the potting meadium. They like moist environments. Or it's just a coincidence. Where I live we have tons of mosquitoes, gnats and fruit flys that get inside from the doors being open.

Bugs that you would be concerned about would be scales and other sucking insects. They suck the plant juices from the orchid. They can leave a sticky residue behind but in my experience they don't leave it in droplets like in your picture. Like I said before, many orchids secrete this sap. Like James said, the sheathes secrete this liquid a lot. New growths do too and so do Phalaenopsis leaves. My two NoID Phals secrete it in little drops around the edge on the bottom side of the leaf like in your photo.

It is not bug poo like James said. Don't worry about it. You said your plant is healthy with no bugs so its fine. Gnats or mosquitoes would not cause this Happy Sap. Good luck!

[awest]

Yes i repeal my bug concern. Definitely not bug related from the photo. Their stuff is usually white or brown/black.

[Cintirella]

Thank you for the pics and ur prompt reply. I have seen tiny tiny white bugs tho crawling as I noticed today some leaves are looking almost like leather, wrinkly-ish. Today was their watering day, I soak them for 10-15 mnts as usual. I wonder if I'm ever going to learn how to read these Phals I don't want to loose this plant, means the world to me specially now that has a spike going

---------- Post added at 08:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 PM ----------

You guys are so nice ! thanks so much for your words of encouragement and warm welcome. I hope I did ok tho since I decided to clean the leaves off that sticky stuff. I looked it up on home remedies for plants, with soap, a bit of corn oil and even pepper. So I cleaned the leaves with my hands making sure it's dry at night, with a soft air (cealing fan)circulating the room. I think it says to do this daily for 2-3 weeks. Or at least til I notice bugs are gone.

[AussieVanda]

The happy juice is normally sweet as james points out. This is the same reason why some insects are attracted to it.