Sticky Substance on My Phalaenopsis Orchid

I am new to caring for Orchids. I have found on my pretty Orchid (stem only) looks like tiny water drops.
I had to touch the tiny drop and found it to be sticky I then moved it to the kitchen away from three other Orchid. I had them siting on the window seal.(south side)

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Jul 14, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sticly Substance Could Be Two Things
by: Melissa

You describe what looks like water drops on the stem of your orchid but that it is sticky.

In my experience it is from two possible causes. 1) It could either be the the natural exudate or secretions that is sometimes called honeydew. Basicly it could be a little bit of the orchids sap. If it is just a little it is fine and normal for some orchids.

Or 2) It could be also that you have an insect infestation and that they are damaging the orchid and therefore the sap is leaking out.

Look carefully at your orchid for either scale insects or mealybug or spider mites and the like. If you have a hand lens that is helpful to use to see them better. Make sure to look in the cracks and under the leaves.

You were right to move the orchid that you suspected to have a problem away from your other orchids. So check it out for bugs carefully before returning it to the main group. If it has insects then you can try to remove them with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab if the infestation is small.

If it is insects then contact me again and we can discuss treatment, depending on which insect it is and how bad the infection is.

Good luck,

Melissa
www.orchids-plus-more.com

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