Bugs in Phal(s)
 

Hello everyone. I am not new to the Forum, but have not had Phal questions in a long time. Recently I re-potted all of my Phals, about 20. A couple of them are a bit ill so I am nursing them along. The rest are in great shape. When I watered the other day, 1 Phal spewed hundreds of tiny light tan colored insects when the water hit them. They just boiled out of the pot and went everywhere. I don't know what the bugs are and how to get rid of them. I am afraid I will soon have these things in all of my orchids. It seems impossible to try to take a picture since they are so tiny. Thanks for any help or suggestions you may have.

Idk ------ did those insects develop in the new potting medium? Not in the old medium, right?

Maybe a pyrethrum or pyrethrin application ---- spraying on the surface of media, or applying a bit to the media can help deter or stop these ones from getting into there.

This occurred after the new medium, so far only in one plant. Where would I purchase the pyrethrin? Lowes?

Idk ..... sounds ok! Nice that there was only one occurrence.

If the insect is too small, then the only way to identify is to get 1 or some of them, and put into a container for somebody to put under the microscope - with image capture, so that they can get some nice pics to do some checks.

For outdoor orchids in pots ----- insects can live in the pots - if they can handle the watering that is heheh. Not all insects will damage orchids. The activity of some might even benefit orchids.