Rotting young Cattleya's
 

Update.
It turns out what I should have been worried about is an infection. I have talked to the seller and everything has been fixed up.
It would have been nice to know what to do, but this experience has helped me understand Cattleya's better.
The infection got to the youngest, and I don't think it is showing up on my final blue. *cold weather made them more vulnerable to illness.

I just don't know if I should try saving them. 4 plants, 2 nearly or completely rootless.
The 2 smallest look like they could pull through if I'm careful. I just don't have the experience to make the right calls with the other two. I know most of you with big collections wouldn't even think twice, and probably just throw them out to prevent spreading...
I mean, I repotted the smallest Mari and 2 days later, 2/3 of the roots were lost to rot. Pretty fast?
I repotted the biggest and 5 days later, 95%+ are gone.

And the smell... It wasn't pleasant.
I've added a link in the newest post in this thread to my album. Buy to save you trouble, I'll add it again if you want to check it out:
https://flickr.com/photos/22287736@N...57649526523929


-OLD-
I've kept the 3 new cattleyas away from the phalaenopsis...
But as I was removing some of the damaged roots on a Mari's song I saw this speck appear and disappear too fast for me to whipe it away with a paper towel .
It was right by a root in the medium. :(
99% sure it was just an ordinary bug.
*I've kept the 3 new ones together in a clear 104 Liter storage bin, in a
I'm not even sure if it was a mite, but what else could it have been....
I feel like hitting my head against the wall. <--- of course figuratively.

It might be a springtail. They are small and will jump around.

I have always seen spider mites on leaves and inflorescences. Another insect that you might find in the media is gnat fly larvae, which are clear and worm like, and they inch along like a caterpillar.

When treating for pests, it is always good practice to treat the plants around the infected one. Also, keep new plants separate from your collection until you are sure that they are pest-free.

What I saw looked and moved like these, but only on the potting medium, roots, and possibly a pseudobulb.
http://youtu.be/bYNc8HmZmxk


***I went over the skin coverings, (the dry part) on the pseudobulb's base checking to see if I saw any hiding in between the layers. As I moved along, a dark speck fell, but almost look like it climbed down a web.
I have no idea if what I saw was my head jumping straight to conclusion, or what. So this part isn't solid evidence.

I'll be on the look out for all of the orchids now. I don't necessarily want to treat something without being completely sure.
The treatments can slow growth right? Or even harmful?

Thanks.

It could be a springtail, which wouldn't be a problem other than possibly signaling that the media could use a change. But it could also be a thrip, which would call for immediate action.

I use either 70% alcohol or an oil based pesticide like Orange Guard. I lost buds and flowers after spraying Orange Guard full strength, but I'll sacrifice the flowers to kill the bugs. Other than that, I have not seen any adverse effects on growth. Spider mites do not live in humid conditions if you want to try getting rid of them by making their environment inhospitable.

This is very possible for me!:)
I have a room humidifier that makes my setup go to 99% humidity if I'm not careful...
Only I'll have to clean off the humidifier and move it to the storage bin with the plant I've seen the bug/mite on.

I still have each orchid separated.
(I won't keep the Catts together unless you guys tell me it's okay. Like if it's for sure they all have a pest problem.)
I also won't move them in with the phal into my set up unless it's safe to.

Other things I've noticed:
On some of the dried coverings over the pseudobulbs, there's black specks that look like small mold.
I've been peeling of the dry areas so there won't be more places for the bugs to hide.

On my phal's damaged leaf with the brown area, there's new white dots over the damage. It almost looks like salt deposits, only I wouldn't know how it got there...
should I go ahead and cut off the damaged area?

I'm planning to move the Catts to LECA clay within a week, I just don't know which ones need the same size containers or bigger ones. I also want to repot into clear pots to see the roots anyways.

Would repotting take care of the possible bug/mite problem with adding more humidity?

Thanks so much :)

Only one of the spidermites species has issues with humidity, and don't count too much on it to get rid of it.

Pictures are always better for an intelligent input, and you can always wipe a bit of surgical cotton with some alcohol 70° on, underside leaves (start with nice leaves, end with ugly ones). If there's yellowish-brownish-redish traces, you can expect spider mites of some sort. Before using either a specific miticide (pyrethin or tébufenpyrad), or emulsifed Neem oil, and if you have neither, to start killing the beasts , you can always use an alcohol (3tsp)/soap (1tsp) in water (1 l) mix you can spray on all the plant, insisting on the leaf underside. No arthropod likes this.

Springtails spring! And are armless.

You don't need to do anything.
They are harmless.

Spidermites are super slow. Nothing you can find in the orchid pot will move as fast as springtails, which is what you have in this case.

Thanks!
Whatever was crawling around was just an ordinary bug that I'm 99% sure wasn't harmful.
I never saw the bug again and I ran into other issues.

If I was experienced I would have known what to do from the beginning.

Both of the Mari's songs are in critical condition.
The biggest one which was the healthiest lost every root. Maybe except one...

both Mari's Songs were divided by fast moving rot.

I don't know the outcome. You guys can check it out :(
http://https://flickr.com/photos/22287736@N05/sets/72157649526523929