Phalaenopsis with white spots under the leaves

[marktin123]

hi,

My phalaenopsis orchid has white spot appear under the leave. Can it be caused by red spider mites? I see the brown/orange spots on the leave. See the attached picture.

If yes, what is the cure? Thank you.

Marktin

[WhiteRabbit]

[bethmarie]

Looks like it could be mites, but I'm not experienced enough to be sure. Whether it's mites or something else, if you haven't already, you'll want to move it far away from any other plants you're growing. Rinsing the leaves with a strong spray of water will dislodge some of the critters. For mite treatment, I've used a safe miticide by Bonide with some success. You have to treat more than once to get the newly hatching ones. Instructions/intervals for treatment are on the miticide container. I wish you success!

[Island Girl]

Oh yea, that's DEFINITELY mites! (I had them last summer... They killed quite a few of my orchids, they r evil!) and if they've gotten this bad, you need the strongest possible defense, ASAP, although I don't know what you can buy in Malaysia... **You need a miticide, & it should be systemic (meaning it goes thru the leaves/roots all throughout the plant tissue, and stays there for a little while, & kills anything that feeds on the plant! ).

I will look around, and get back to you, hopefully I can find something!? Cuz this is a bad infestation.

If you have an orchid nursery or even just a regular plant nursery nearby, you can ask them if they have any of the "big guns" to kill mites, and if they would spray your plants for you, or give you some spray to take with you, so you can spray them? (just don't bring your plants into their nursery w/o an "ok" from them, u wouldn't wanna infest their nursery w/ mites... They travel REALLY well! And kill REALLY well too! )

If you can, separate all the infested plants (and all the ones around the ones that look infested) from your others, but mites can hide very very easily, so be careful. Most of the time, when you see the mite damage, they have moved on to greener pastures, so isolate all of the ones nearby. Try rinsing or spraying the (undersides of) leaves with (straight, undiluted) isopropyl alcohol, on as many plants as you can, every other day. *Keep them in a warm place when doing this, b/c as the alcohol dries, it cools the leaves (b/c it dries rapidly, evaporative cooling), & that can also be stressful to the damaged orchids. When u get the miticide to treat them with, spray EVERYTHING!! You could (& most likely do) have mites on ALL of your plants, even if they aren't showing any damage at all!

[Island Girl]

Big Leaf Orchid forum • View topic - Mite killer ?
and, this one might help too,
Big Leaf Orchid forum • View topic - Predatory Mites

[NYCorchidman]

Yep, mites.

You see those tiny specks of orange red? those are bugs themselves and the white area of the leaf is the damaged area.

You must wipe out the surface of the affected leaf right away with some rubbing alcohol to get rid of all the adults. That will reduce the mites population for now.
Then for the new hatchlings and any surviving adults, repeat the process again and again. I would say about twice a week.

Also, place this plant away from other plants as mites travel easily.

no need to spray, although that might be a quicker way to get rid of them.

I have a strange year with mites this year. They are on almost all of my oncidiums and some dendrobiums.
I wiped them all diligently for a few weeks and now they seem to be all gone for now, but I check the back of leaves of all plants when I water just in case I find any.

Good luck in getting rid of them.

[Bannet]

I am also in the same problem but a little different from it . Can any one tell me about a better solution of it.I have read the answers of members in the this page but not satisfied. Please some one advised me about it..Professional experienced company

[NYCorchidman]

I don't understand.

what do you mean you have the same problem but a little different from it???

Mites or something else?

I think with mites, you either spray (not insecticide, but miticide) or go through tedious and time-consuming, but sure way to get rid of them.

[marktin123]

hi All,

Thanks a lot for your replies and advices. All of you are very helpful.

The leave turned yellow and i cut it off. Another leave is having the same problem.

I recently bought a book that suggested using garlic to remove the mites. Smash 2.5g garlic, dilute into 1kg water and spray over the orchid leave. Repeat a few times per week and wash the leave after the mites are gone. I am going to try it out this week. Hopefully it work.

Marktin