Catasetinae MITE attack !!

Ray is a good one for this. He also sells Sucrashield which would work for you.
http://firstrays.com/cart/Horticult...l-Pesticides/SucraShield-Insecticide-Miticide

Catasetums are prone to mites and they will be concentrated on the undersides. In the meantime I would coat the plants in a soapy water, let them sit for a minute or two and then spray them done again with regular water.

You can also buy Pyrethium sprays like this:
http://www.humboldthydroponics.com/Whitmire_1157.htm

 

You might not have mites. I get some teeny tiny spiders that like the orchids...not mites...and they make little webs. They are harmless...and actually...they help keep the nasty critters away. They are super small...about the size of a very sharp pencil point.

Typically, when you have a spider mite issue the infestation is going to be pretty high before you begin to see webbing and in that webbing you will see really small "things" moving around. They can be a clearish green color or red...and I do mean super tiny. If you have weak eyesight you might even need a mag glass to see them.

Should you see anymore webs...grab a mag glass and look in the webbing. If you see just one tiny spider then you probably don't have mites. On the other hand, if you see lots of itty bitty spider looking things...you have mites.

Another great way to see if you have mites >> take a piece of plain, white paper...hold it under the leaf....tap the top of the leaf so anything on the undersides will drop onto the paper...then quickly smear your hand across the paper. If you see streaks of red/orange (faint or bright) then you have mites. If you don't see streaks...chances are you don't have mites. It's not 100% fool proof...but it's pretty darn close.

For mites, I go right to a miticide. I learned the hard way that anything less is just delaying the inevitable for me because I don't have the patience (or time) to do daily sprays of the "natural" products.

 

I use sucrashield on my catasetinae without any problems. Its great for those sensitive fine leaves.
Mites certainly are a problem for catasetinae, but usually the damage is easily apparent. You might not have mites, having said that if your humidity is low you could have them.
There's no reason why you can't spray with sucrashield regardless. Better safe than sorry.

 

Anna,
I have been using Bayer 3-1. It was suggested at a class at RF Orchids. This product is systemic, so it gets "into" the plant providing a better protection.
The first 2 applications were 7 days apart, and I do it once a month to complete about 6 months. You can find it in Lowe's or Home Depot.
Good luck,

Antonio

 

A part of me is wondering if that is a mould of some kind and not mites. I have quite different damage on my plants when spider mites are around.

 

Are you sure those webs aren't mites? Let me show ya a picture of mine. I've tried neem oil 3-4 times. Here is the pic . What are the best mites stuff to kill? I don't know if it's mites. I've tried alcohol pad, don't see it, and tried paper towel, don't see it. Hmmm... Can't stand those webs!!!

 

deaforchidlover -- that does not look like spider mites but rather just spiders. Neem oil will do little to keep them from coming back.

Anna -- first, your plant appears to be getting insufficient light. I could be wrong but it looks a bit too long and leggy. W/better light you will get tighter growth on those leaves. This group of orchids needs a lot of light so putting it outside was a good call. Make sure it's in a very bright area.

The black on the back of the leaves is a sooty mold type thing. This group of orchids is VERY sappy and some are so bad that I have to use a mild soapy cloth to get rid of it and even then I never get rid of all of it. It's unsightly but nothing to be concerned about. The sooty mold, when left unchecked, can cause yellowing of the leaves.

Also, that center yellowing of the leaves is one of the things that happen when the plant begins to head into dormancy. It seems a bit early for this to be happening but it wouldn't be unheard of ...especially if it's a fairly recent acquisition.

Looking at your pics...I really don't believe you have mites.

 

Katrina- Thank you so much... Now I can relax