White mold on Phalaenopsis

[rollingpandas]

Today I just discovered white mold on my budding Phalaenopsis. Can anybody confirm if it's Snow Mold? If so, what can I do to treat it?

A little background info:
I live in Northern California but my orchids have been thriving in my humid sun room. I water once a week... although I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't've watered them that often in the middle of winter... This one is planted in a terra cotta pot in bark medium. I think they are also due for a repotting but I don't want to repot until after they're done blossoming, right?

Thanks for your input!

[Nexogen]

Looks to be pest...
Mealybugs
Orchid Pests

[dangerouseddy]

I think your right about mealybugs, cant see mold growing on a healthy green leaf like that.

[OfLeafandLimb]

You've probably already concluded, but it looks like mealies to me, too. At least they're easy to kill.

[Catriona]

I had a similar problem with one of my phals post-blooming. Cut the spike to 2nd node from bottom, happy sap appeared on cut edge followed in a week or so by white mould. Cut spike off at base & applied cinnamon, job done. Don't think we have mealy bugs in England, maybe it was just an opportunistic bacteria?

[OfLeafandLimb]

If England has ever received shipments of plants with mealybugs, and I would bet that they have several times, there are mealybugs in England. According to the BBC, mealies in the UK are thought to have come from tropical regions.

BBC - Gardening - Advice: Pest and disease identifier

[Catriona]

Yes, I should have thought first. Many thanks for reply, and for link.