Cymbidium with sticky clear drops

[Flower Fool]

I have 2 cymbidiums and they both have sticky clear drops on the leaves. What is this? I have scrubbed them off several times with soap and water but they keep coming back.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

[james mickelso]

Nothing to worry about. They are happy. Osmotic pressure from within the leaf. Leave them alone.

[Judi]

As long as you don't see any signs of bugs, I totally agree with james. I frequently see sticky droplets on my orchids--often before they start to spike.

[wuness]

James: If this was simply a case of osmotic pressure (=guttation), I don't think there would be such a high sugar content as to make the droplets "sticky" as described. (Guttation results in watery droplets with trace amounts of salts.) I think these are extra-floral (=outside the flower) nectaries. These occur in many orchids and, in wild orchids anyway, are an evolutionary strategy "designed" to attract ants. The ants, in turn, protect the plant and the orchid flower from attack by other insects such as beetles and thrips. Although these nectaries are of limited value in our domestic orchids, the genetic trait is still present.

wuness

[james mickelso]

Most of my orchids ooze sweet sugary sap in droplets along the leaves. The droplets are very sticky and at times has coelecsed into little short runs. Ants and flies love it. Aphids are very desirous of it. The drier I keep my orchids the less droplets I have on them.