Mealybug cotton or mite webbing? Please help in pest ID

[ZoeO]

New member here

This is my first time posting a new thread (and only my second post overall). Hoping to have the community's assistance in identifying a pest.

I've always had an orchid here or there for several years but just recently started acquiring more. I currently have about 40 orchids which I grow in my home - about 20 were purchased in the last month (yes probably a little too much too fast). Until a week ago I have been pest free so I'm new to having to deal with pests.

One of my recent purchases was a phal from a local greenhouse that got a small mealybug infestation about a week after I brought it home. I asked the grower for advice about treating it, but they also gave me an option to exchange it, so I did. Fast forward less than a week and one of my mom's phals which I have been babysitting for about 3 months now has some white webbing between two of the leaves. It was not near the mealybug one but it was in the same room, across the room about 10 to 12 feet away. I can't tell whether it is a mealybug nest or perhaps a spider mite web? At first I thought it was the cottony stuff that mealybugs create, but now I'm not so sure. Strangely I did not see anything moving at all. I did only look at it with my naked eye and not a magnifying glass. But I'm very sure nothing was moving. So far after checking my other orchids I've only found springtails (but that's another story).

My mother decided she is not attached to this orchid and elected to get rid of it. But, I want to ID it in case I start seeing it spread to my other plants. Uggghhh... Please see photos.

Also in general, would you do anything to preventively treat orchids that were nearby infested ones even if they don't currently show signs of pests? Thanks so much in advance! I'm learning so much from this group!

(b/t/w in the 3rd photo, the white spots in the underside of the leaf were not moving, nor do I think they are actual pests, they were more like hardened textured bumps.)

[Dollythehun]

That looks more like a real spider web. The bumps are probably edema. Wipe it off and keep an eye on it.

Welcome.

[rbarata]

Welcome, ZoeO.
I agree with Carol (Dolly).
It looks a real spider web.

[ZoeO]

Dollythehun and rbarata - I really appreciate your insight and quick response. I am really hopeful that it’s just a real spider web. That’s one creature I’m not bothered by as I typically see them solitary and larger in size - it’s the swarming, colony type bugs that gross me out.

So unfortunately upon closer examination I’ve found more webbing on two other phals. I’m uploading more pics. Definitely webs but again nothing moving (my eyes are luckily still very good).

Given this seemingly sudden appearance of these webs on on 2 more plants, does this change your opinion? Yikes these orchids I’ve had for at least a year now. All my problems arose when I went on a buying spree and didn’t quarantine as I should have. I bought from a reputable greenhouse so I let my guard down - but ultimately it’s my fault for being too enthusiastic (p.s. having trouble uploading pics from phone so I’ll jump on my computer)

[ZoeO]

Here are the pics - two new phals.

[Dollythehun]

I'd wipe them off with a little soapy water and watch them. Spider mite webs are fine with what looks like little dust motes in them. They're pretty far along by that point.

[sweetjblue]

Welcome to the OB

It does appear that you have remnants of spider webs as rbarata amd Carol have stated but what would concern me are the white fuzzy specks that appear just slightly below center of your first pic.

THAT does appear to be the beginning of a mealie bug infestation starting. You might also want to check at the leaf axis to see if there are denser pockets of the fuzzies.

Regardless, it would be a good call to wipe down both sides of all leaves with isopropyl alcohol and put a few drops down into the axis of the leaves which is where they just love to hide.

Catch them early cause once they get a foothold on a plant they are hard to get rid of.

Good luck

Judi

[rbarata]

Using Imidacloprid or Thiacloprid based pesticide uou'll get rid of mealy bugs in a blink of an eye.

[ZoeO]

Thanks for all the responses - sorry for the late reply - two little kids does not leave much time for chasing pests unfortunately, but I'm going to do my best! I truly appreciate everyone's advice.

Dollythehun & sweetjblue - thing is that I have been doing an alcohol/soap soak and spray on all the surfaces and checking daily for the past week now. I thought at first it was only springtails (which I know some feel they are not a true pest to orchids) but looks like spider mites and possibly mealybugs too. So looks like I will need to do a systemic which I was hoping not to have to do. But yes rbarata - I can get my hands on some Bayer 3 in 1 that I have been reading about on the forum. That has Imidacloprid in it I believe.

If I could also hear your opinions on this I would appreciate it. It's been really hard with these pests issues as I'm not growing in a greenhouse but in my family's living space. Some of these orchids I have on wooden tables (with coasters and pot saucers to protect the surfaces) and I have soft furnishings nearby. How can one successfully disinfect these things in case pests are hiding? I can't use bleach on the furniture - maybe pine sol will help though. I was hoping to get some suggestions from others who may have been in the same situation? Thanks so much!

[Roberta]

If you can, take the plant outside and give it a good spraying with Bayer Advanced 3-in-1. Spray the medium well too - kill what may be in it, and also put some where the roots can absorb it, since it's a systemic. Let leaves dry, then bring it back in the house and all should be fine. You probably don't want to be spraying it in the house... if you can't take it outside, do it in the shower or bathtub (where you can keep the spray confined and clean it up easily when you're done), again let the plant dry, then you can safely bring it back into your living area, and you can give the tub or shower a good wash before you put the kids in there. Toxicity of the stuff is low but not zero when it is wet, once dry on the leaves it won't get into the environment so should not be a problem.

Repeat in a week, and the week after that - you need to knock down anything that hatches over several generations.