Clear sticky stuff on Angraecum leaf
 

Hello,
When sun was on my Angraecum, I noticed shiny blotch on the leaf.
On closer inspection it appeared to be a clear sticky substance. I put plant under water and tried to wipe it with paper towel -the substance became brownish and didn't easily come off.
Does it sound like a pest?
Thanks a lot

Sticky residue is suspicious. My plants get this when under attack by scale, mealys, and aphids. However, if you see no sign of any pests, it is difficult to say what is causing it. Hopefully someone else can help.
Leafmite

That sounds alot like what I've heard occurs with scale but depending on how old the plant is I recently saw a store clerk put something on an Orchids leaves to shiny them up, a nono, hopefully a more knowing member will be on to help soon:)

Oh! It is exactly what I was afraid of. I need to check all my plants now.
Do scales only affect leaves or they can be inside the potting medium in the roots?
I never had scales on my plants and any pests on orchids before. Would soapy water harm the orchids?

If you only see a few, use cotton swabs dipped in alcohol to remove the scale.
Leafmite

I checked the plant and didn't find any bugs on leaves, but then I took skewer and poked with narrow end in between leaves creases at the base. It lured out bunch of mealybugs, so I spent all evening going with skewer through each leaf. Then sprayed it with listerin+water mix.

Should I repot it and throw away old bark in case it has some too?

I know angraecums don't like re-potting but I don't want to loose plant to mealybugs too.

If you do unpot the angraecum, be very careful. Soak for an hour to make the roots more pliable and try not to disturb them too much. The roots of some are very stiff and fragile and they cling to media and clay pots. If you do break roots, use dry media and don't water for at least a day or two to let the roots heal. Good luck,
Leafmite

It wouldn't hurt to unpot and have a look, sometimes mealies will lurk at the top of the roots. Btw, listerine will not do much against insects, it has antimicrobial properties, not insecticidal! I recommend using rubbing alcohol on mealies, it works well. Just don't apply it to the roots, I found out the hard way that it will kill them. You'll need to check the plant at least once a week to catch any new mealies.

You can also look in the pests and disease section to see how other people get rid of stuff in the media. I got rid of an ant farm in a citrus by soaking the plant overnight, drowning the ants. I don't know how that would work for orchids or mealy bugs. There are pestcides, systemics, and some people have dunked the entire plant in alcohol. Then there are the herbs that are natural pesticides.... So, you have many, many options. Hopefully, someone else has dealt with this and can help you.
Leafmite

Good to know about alcohol and roots. Thanks! I won't try the dunking in alcohol method. : )
Leafmite