Orchid pests help!
Hello guys! I recently discovered both white thin bugs and brown circular bugs(both very tiny and not fluffy) on my orchid plant roots. I noticed when I bought the orchid from the Lowe’s clearance that the roots looked sunburned but thought nothing of it until now. I realize it might be pest damage, so does anyone know what the best next steps might be? I’m lost and don’t know what to do :/ @DreamMachine @Ms.Persnickety @stephongreg edit: just realized that they could definitely be benificial pests, and the white ones look a lot like springtails. Not too sure about the other ones though? My other plants seem unaffected.
1ft to light, direct
5” pot with drainage
Last watered 2 days ago
11
I’m not sure where in these picture they’re supposed to be… I’d recommend sticking a piece of clear tape to them to transfer them from the root to the tape so you can take a closer look.
The browning/hardening on your roots is salt/mineral buildup drying out your roots, it can happen naturally from excess minerals in your water or overfertilizing. You might be able to get rid of some of it by flushing it with distilled water.
Once you have a better understanding of what your bug looks like, you can search around for different springtail species (example attached) and see if it looks like a beneficial springtail. If you can’t find a matching springtail, the next step is to search for “predatory mites” that match what your bugs look like; predatory mites are also beneficial, they will feed on pests but not your plant.
Otherwise, your plant looks plenty healthy so I wouldn’t be worried about anything just yet.
The browning/hardening on your roots is salt/mineral buildup drying out your roots, it can happen naturally from excess minerals in your water or overfertilizing. You might be able to get rid of some of it by flushing it with distilled water.
Once you have a better understanding of what your bug looks like, you can search around for different springtail species (example attached) and see if it looks like a beneficial springtail. If you can’t find a matching springtail, the next step is to search for “predatory mites” that match what your bugs look like; predatory mites are also beneficial, they will feed on pests but not your plant.
Otherwise, your plant looks plenty healthy so I wouldn’t be worried about anything just yet.
@smushface thanks so much! I’m gonna keep a lookout for the bugs, but so far I’m not seeing any concerning signs. Should I isolate the orchid from the rest of my plants? Also side note I just repotted her because the bark was old and the sphagnum moss seedling chamber thingy was still there, but I only found one other bug upon repotting and it was a small circular brown guy who didn’t move
@Slyvie when you say they were moving fast, were they jumping in a jerky type way? If so that sounds like springtails to me. They're actually beneficial insects that eat decaying matter, help aerate the soil, and can also prevent certain fungal infections. They're a sign your soil is healthy...but also a sign that conditions are staying damp for extended periods. So be extra careful with watering.
As a side note, the pests that cause the most damage to plants are usually the ones that feed on actual plant tissue like leaves and stems. The ones found in soil are usually (but not always) either beneficial or harmless. The exceptions include fungus gnat larvae, root aphids, and root mealies (fungus gnat larvae is by far the most common of that group). A good rule of thumb: if it's on the leaves, it's guilty till proven innocent. If it's in the soil, it's innocent until evidence proves otherwise lol 😜
As a side note, the pests that cause the most damage to plants are usually the ones that feed on actual plant tissue like leaves and stems. The ones found in soil are usually (but not always) either beneficial or harmless. The exceptions include fungus gnat larvae, root aphids, and root mealies (fungus gnat larvae is by far the most common of that group). A good rule of thumb: if it's on the leaves, it's guilty till proven innocent. If it's in the soil, it's innocent until evidence proves otherwise lol 😜
@stephongreg they were kinda just skittering actually! Just moving like really fast. After that one sighting I haven’t seen them since, did a whole repotting and everything just to make extra sure it wasn’t a bad situation. The other type of bug I saw was a sort of brown, round bug that didn’t really move at all, and when it did move it moved slowly. Not sure if that’s scales..? There were only like 2 I saw though.
@Slyvie I was going to say springtails for the fast ones, and I would guess soil mites. They are round, slow moving soil dwellers, who preform some of the same beneficial tasks that springtails do, such as eating rotten decaying matter. Of course these are just guesses. Can’t be sure without a picture. I would do what Aly @smushface recommended and try to get one on a piece of tape for identification.
Your orchid looks nice and healthy, and if the substrate is old and decomposing, it is highly likely that you have these beneficials in it. ☺️
Your orchid looks nice and healthy, and if the substrate is old and decomposing, it is highly likely that you have these beneficials in it. ☺️
@DreamMachine thank you! I do think that they’re both benificial bugs as I don’t see any signs of pest damage :)
@stephongreg tbh my springtails usually scramble around like ants on a mission, it’s very rare for me to see them jump
@smushface I just set up a quarantine actually like literally yesterday because I saw advice online! Thanks for the recc I’m definitely going to do that from now on! <3