--- title: "HELP I found two types of bugs on my orchid. These really small white…" description: "HELP I found two types of bugs on my orchid. These really small white bugs that crawl on the leaves of my orchid. They don’t seem to jump when startled so..not…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/JmTUi1iSQr6-tX35luAMXQ/XMeV4iMQTqOw16nXlZ5v8g" community: "The Orchid Oasis" author: "ABucketOfPlants" published: "2024-03-09T02:56:18.139455Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/RIrQvmTfE5xBudBxwuK4HRsLqI3LyrjgXB8bhDg6aHo/Y9rmEmzVRsGdv6kKeOjaeQ.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [The Orchid Oasis](https://getplanta.com/community/JmTUi1iSQr6-tX35luAMXQ.md) # HELP I found two types of bugs on my orchid. These really small white… _Posted by ABucketOfPlants on 2024-03-09_ HELP I found two types of bugs on my orchid. These really small white bugs that crawl on the leaves of my orchid. They don’t seem to jump when startled so..not spring tails. My camera can’t focus on the leaf and the bugs are so small you can hardly see them unless you focus a lot. They like to crawl on the sides of the leaves and are moderately fast. I’ve also seen these slightly bigger orangish bugs mainly I see them crawling along the sides of the pot and escaping into the crack of the drainage tray presumably to get back into the soil. I caught a picture of one just before it went into the crack (it’s the little dot RIGHT above the crack about to crawl in to the right) Sorry for the bad quality bc again, my photo quality isn’t the best. What do I do? ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/RIrQvmTfE5xBudBxwuK4HRsLqI3LyrjgXB8bhDg6aHo/Y9rmEmzVRsGdv6kKeOjaeQ.webp?size=large) ## 16 comments ### Jen commented on 2024-03-09 Spring tails tend to stay in the medium and on the roots, you’ll notice them moving very quickly when you water the bark mixture. They are harmless and actually beneficial. The white leaf bugs… are they fuzzy? Or really teeny, kind of elongated and fast? No idea what the orange bugs might be. Isolate this plant from the others. Try to video them, it might be easier to get a close clear image if you zoom in. #### ABucketOfPlants replied on 2024-03-09 If they were fuzzy I wouldn’t know bc they are too tiny like I only caught them today because I was closely examining my orchhid #### ABucketOfPlants replied on 2024-03-09 I’ll get a picture later bc idk my phone doesn’t want to focus rn #### Jen replied on 2024-03-09 If they were too small to tell if they were fuzzy, then they aren’t mealy bugs- sounds potentially like thrips if elongated, and if not, potentially spider mites. Rub a damp paper towel along the leaf gently. Underside too. If there’s a rusty red or brown on the paper towel I’d guess spider mites. They can look kind of white or reddish orange to the eye, but will def show reddish on the paper towel. #### MeasomerPi replied on 2024-03-09 👆that and quarantine the plant. Thrips can spread like wildfire and decimate a collection. #### ABucketOfPlants replied on 2024-03-10 ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/RIrQvmTfE5xBudBxwuK4HRsLqI3LyrjgXB8bhDg6aHo/ayxLr_2wQve3LKLygBH3pg.webp?size=large) _3 more replies in the app_ ### MeasomerPi commented on 2024-03-09 Are you seeing any damage to the plant? #### ABucketOfPlants replied on 2024-03-09 Yes I don’t know if it’s my imagination or some other factor but the sides of the leaves seem black and ‘nibbled’ like how a primitive knife would have little indents to help it better saw. I think they may have came because one of the leaves are turning yellow and kinda rotting because I watered it too late. ### Skimbutt commented on 2024-03-10 the bugs on the outside are premature fungus gnats. thats how it started with one of my plants #### ABucketOfPlants replied on 2024-03-10 Dang really? YES I’m so lucky bc I’m about to get a Venus fly trap but the curse is finally coming back so also unlucky 😭 #### ABucketOfPlants replied on 2024-03-10 I literally withheld water from my plants for 3 months just to get rid of them and now they’re back #### Skimbutt replied on 2024-03-10 oh my gosh, get fungicide3. works against fungus, insects and another type of pest I believe. I used it for my fern and I no longer have them! #### Skimbutt replied on 2024-03-10 it takes 1 to 2 weeks and a few sprays throughout but it did work! --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_