Black flecks on back of phalaenopsis flowers, and sticky substance on leaves

[HiOrcDen]

I've discovered small black moist flecks of something on the backs of some of my recently bloomed phalaenopsis flowers. They remind me exactly of what becomes of the mealybugs I've combatted with a q-tip dipped in alcohol, when they turn black as soon as presumably they die. How could dead mealybugs make their way to the flowers? Or are they not dead, or is it something else entirely? And if someone knows what it is, would you also explain how to treat it? Also, there is a sticky sap like substance on one of the the same plant's leaves. I had assumed it was due to the mealybugs which I seem to have finally managed to rid of, but it's still sticky. In general the plant still seems healthy though, but I'm wondering one more thing. As a plant grows over the long term, should I expect some of the small bottom leaves to die, or should a plant ideally never drop any leaves as it grows old and big?

[estación seca]

1 Moist black flecks - hard to tell without a photo. Some plants make a sugary secretion here and there, and if black sooty mold grows on the sugar, you can get this.

2 Sticky sap is again normal on some plants' leaves. Many people rinse it off to prevent mold formation.

3 Phals generally drop older leaves as they grow. The number of leaves they carry depends on the health of the plant and the size of its root system. If you browse through this Board and look at people's phal photos, you will see people showing off healthy Phal plants featuring 4-10 or more leaves. Other monopodial orchid genera like Vanda normally carry many more leaves.