Is this a Mealybug and if so, how do I kill the little ***?

[RandomGemini]

I'll let the photo do the talking. Found the <insert colorful expletive> here on my brand new masdevallia veitchiana when I went to water it this morning. If you can't tell, I'm mad.

Are all of the orchids that were transported with this plant in danger of being infested and should I treat them with whatever insecticide is recommended too?

Thanks.

I plan to eradicate these evil <insert colorful expletive here>. I've only seen the one... but ooh... I am mad. I do not want an out and out infestation in my house.

[Bud]

start with a ratio of ten drops dish soap in 2 cups tepid water and spray the whole plant.....do it every other week....make sure the media is soaked so eggs will also be killed....

[RandomGemini]

Should I set this outside to do this? And should I treat all of the plants that were transported home with it? They've all been sitting on the same table since I bought them.

Thanks for the quick reply, Bud.

[Bud]

Its a home remedy=dish soap is not dangerous to mammals....you may spray it outside or in the sink....they might come back and you may see them again=its the eggs that hatched on the media mix....you just have to be very vigilant.

[RandomGemini]

I was planning to repot this very soon too... I'm assuming that would also help.

Thanks Bud. I'll soak this guy down with some dawn and tepid water today.

[Daethen]

The soap won't hurt the other plants so I would soak all of them that have been in contact with this. It is definitely a mealy. The little <colorful expletive>.

[Bud]

Yes, repotting would help remove the eggs and if possible, next time use the dish soap with anti-bacterial so you can also rule out any fungi or bacteria that these bugs might bring.

[RandomGemini]

The stuff I use is antibacterial. My kids use the soap in the kitchen sink for their hands more often than the antibacterial stuff I put in the bathroom, so I buy the antibacterial dish soap. That works out nicely!

[dounoharm]

ugh...the problem I see here is, that if you see a mature one, there are babies somewhere....no doubt you have an infestation! every plant that has come near that one is likely infested, most certainly the ones that came with it....you can fiddle around for months and even years spraying with dishsoap and alcohol, or you can get out the big guns and ERADICATE them from your plants...you choose....mealybugs and scale are suckers, they pierce and suck liquids out of your plants....a topical treatment of dish soap MIGHT kill some adults, but hey, if it is non-toxic to animals and plants, do you REALLY think it is going to kill mealybugs?...the only sure fired cure is to use a systemic insecticide...that's it....I mix mine with insecticidal soap which helps the systemic 'stick' to the leaves and flesh of the plant while it is absorbed into the system, and gives me immediate satisfaction of seeing some of the buggers keel over unconscious...systemics get absorbed into the actual tissue of the plant, which is necessary in order to KILL the suckers....and yes, do it outside in the shade, sunlight on insecticides or even soap or alcohol will burn your plants...you will have to apply it every two weeks for at least 3 applications....and by all means repot, as the bugs are definitely in the media....spray while the plants are out of the pot in order to get anything stuck to the roots....good luck!

[RandomGemini]

I'm concerned about using these chemicals around my dogs and the people in the house. My 14 year old dog has cancer and is very weak. Our overnight temps are still dipping into the 30s (low tonight is supposed to be 34) or I would just put these plants outside for the duration of the treatment. Ugh...

Edited to Add:

The more I read about this problem, the more this sounds like a case for Bayer 3 in 1. Now I'm worried about how THAT will impact the other plants I've purchased.

Also potentially infested are:

Neofinetia Falcata 'Hisui'
Phal Fuller's Sunset
Phal. Lioulin Orange
Phal. Liloulin Elf 'Pixie'
Bnfd. Gilded Tower 'Mystic Maze'
Phal Yushan Little Amar
NOID Mini Phal
NOID Den-Phal.

I'm really worried about the Neofinetia. It's my first one and I'm so upset that I bought these plants on the same day. I don't know how well it will tolerate an insecticide.