Several orchids with silvery leaves

[Dragoic]

Heya all. I'm struggling to find out if this is some sort of disease or insufficient fertilizer or some sort of sun damage.

But in short do i have some orchids which leaves turns silvery matt and it can't be removed with a cotton pad with water. Have someone seen this before?

[DeaC]

Spider mites I'd say. If wiping off leaves shows up with a reddish residue then that's usually a clue.

[rbarata]

Mites for sure.

[Dragoic]

Don't think its spiter mites since i can't see any webs like strings on any of them nor anything moving. wiping them does not leave the wipe red or anything.

But could be wrong

[Roberta]

Some spider mites don't make webs. To see them you really need a hand lens - they are almost microscopic. But their tiny bites damage the cells on the surface of the leaves (especially the lower surface), eventually giving the "stippling" that produces that silvery look.

[Dragoic]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Some spider mites don't make webs. To see them you really need a hand lens - they are almost microscopic. But their tiny bites damage the cells on the surface of the leaves (especially the lower surface), eventually giving the "stippling" that produces that silvery look.

Any good solutions to get rid of them?

[Roberta]

For a start, spraying with soapy water (or even better, a horticultural oil such as Neem in that soapy water) can kill them (drowns them) and is non-toxic to humans and pets. But it only works on contact, so repeat weekly for at least 4 weeks. Remember, these are arachnids not insects, so if you need to go to chemical solutions, you need a miticide not insecticide.

[rbarata]

I'm not sure if miticide access to the general public is regulated by a EU directive or a regulation, but here in Portugal, for example, I'm not allowed to buy or use miticides. Some are available in general horticultural products available to everyone, but in my experience, they're not effective to erradicate mites.
That's a pest that I have come to accept that is not possible to erradicate but I can control ther population to keep it at a minimum. I have some plants affected also and together with soapy water once a week (1), I also give them a good "hose treatment" in my bathtub.

(1) - a soup spoon of liquid dishwasher detergent diluted in 5 liters of water. I use a spray bottle to apply it, especially under the leaves.

[Dimples]

However you treat the infestation, make sure you treat all your plants. Mites spread quickly if the conditions are right, so it’s best to assume all your plants have mites.

Once you reduce the population with soapy water or another pesticide, weekly or every other week showering/rinsing of the foliage with moderately strong water pressure will keep the population in check and help prevent another population boom.

[Dragoic]

After checking some of the other plans. Yep it seems like spidermites have infested most of my plants :'(

Hope i can get rid of them. If lucky catch some lady bugs to eat them