Definitely have bugs

[Jenn4a]

I'm going to treat all my orchids as I think whatever one or two have, is spreading. It may even be more than one pest...
What I saw on my phal looked like concentrated white gooey roots, kind of fuzzy but not cottony, and what looked like springtails? They were translucent rice shaped, but smaller. I saw long legs/whiskers, but not the common mealy. In other words, they're shaped more like a stick rather than fat. They didn't jump, but I just now noticed them when my phal was watered; they came to the surface, and to the sides of the pot.
I also think my phal has mealys or white scale.. Not sure, I just hope it's not thripe. Some of the other orchids look like they might have mites.
I checked my others, and a couple have white fuzzy areas, but I don't see the rice shaped bugs.

My plan:
-Buy safer's soap.
-Buy Bayer's 3 in 1.
-For now; use H2O2 3% to spray on medium and leaves. (Can't find my open Isopropyl alcohol.)
-Soak orchids with a bit of surfactant (glucoside + a pinch of citric acid to balance the ph of the glucoside). Or maybe just dish soap.
-make a spray with Isopropyl alc. a drop of surfactant and a small drop of oil. Surfactants need or work better with a little oil. They contain 2 sides, one hydrophilic, and the other hydrophobic. Sorry if this is incorrect, it's been awhile since I've looked this up.
-Repot my phal next week after it dries out. It really needs to.

Any corrections, possibly diagnosis, or tips are appreciated.
Thanks guys!
I would have added photos, but what I see doesn't show up the way I see it in photos. It'd be pointless?

[silken]

Be careful when applying alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. I don't think roots do well with it.

The white fuzzy areas can be immature scale. I didn't realize it was that until they all matured and covered the plant with the round discs where females were busy producing more eggs and eating leaves.

Good luck. Sounds like you need an effective contact spray and then a systemic.

[Jenn4a]

Thanks Silken!
I've read that the 3% hydrogen peroxide isn't harmful for the roots (it turns into oxygen and water?)
I sprayed some of my plants last night and I don't see any ill effect on the roots. It could just be too soon to tell though.

I'm not exactly sure what pests I have for sure, I know I've seen some webbing on the pot bottoms of a couple (so assuming spider mites), some white fuzzy areas on some others (on leaves, spike, roots, and media.)

So far the phal is the only one with what appears to be both springtails and the white fuzz. I thought it was moldy roots, but now I see small white deposits in small concentrations throughout the spike. I'm hoping that it's just leftover from paper towels, but with the roots, I'm thinking they're some type of mealy. I haven't seen any fuzzies moving yet, so I'm not certain.

I'm going to order Bayer's advanced 3 in 1 systemic insecticide. (Lasts up to 30 days in rain).. And safer's soap concentrate to make a spray.

[Jenn4a]

I found 6+ bugs in my darwinara media. D: I do not like bugs in the house, especially in plant pots.
There was 2 different kinds of bugs in the pot, with what looks like 2 green egg sacks that came out when I soaked the pot in soapy water.
There's still more baby bugs I couldn't spray out.
I got out 4 big bugs.

Top picture shows a possible egg sack.

[desertanimal]

Earwig in the left, millipede on the right.

[Jenn4a]

Originally Posted by desertanimal

Earwig in the left, millipede on the right.

Oops, thanks for the correction! Is there any particular way to get rid of them?

[ula]

Good luck, looks like you have your hands full. I'm trying to get rid of soft brown scale infesting one orchid, so if I find something effective, I'll let you know. I had some earwigs living with my orchids that summered outside, but soaking seemed to end that problem, so maybe it will work for you and all your "big guys" will pack up and go.

[Jenn4a]

Originally Posted by ula

Good luck, looks like you have your hands full. I'm trying to get rid of soft brown scale infesting one orchid, so if I find something effective, I'll let you know. I had some earwigs living with my orchids that summered outside, but soaking seemed to end that problem, so maybe it will work for you and all your "big guys" will pack up and go.

Thanks, let me know if you do!
I think submerging the whole pot in water helps; it gets them up to the surface and then I spray them with water. They get pushed off by the jet of water. ...Since I don't like squishing bugs, I ended up drowning them in the sink with hot water. *The orchid was next to the sink, in a clean ice cream container; also, I did this in the evening when they're more active.
They might have come with the plant from the greenhouse; I've never seen an earwig around here.

I've seen plenty of centipedes and millipedes, and now I'm seeing smaller 'pedes in pots located in other rooms.

[desertanimal]

Millipedes just eat rotting plant matter. They're harmless friendlies!

[Cym Ladye]

Earwigs and I suspect millipedes can be eliminated by using the same bait effective for slugs, snails, sow bugs and fire ants. Check you local nursery or box store and read the labels.