Hi there, I have what appears to be a healthy phal that I have recently brought home. It is still in bloom and looking good. I have been very careful not to over water it as its in a normal 4 inch pot in a moss medium. Its my experience that on the west coast that moss doesn't really dry out fast enough and i intend to repot in a orchid bark mix once it has finished blooming. However, the last time I watered I noticed 2 or 3 fast moving, non flying, silvery little bugs around the roots. I have seen these before on other plants - these bugs are extremely hard to find until you water, then they come running out! Seeing these in the past on other non orchid plants I had assumed they were fungus knats but in searching the internet I became aware of this other potential pest. Although from what I read about thirps and orchids is that they attack the blooms - I haven't seen this on my phal (knock on wood). Any thoughts on what these little bugs are and how concerned I should be? Also, any thoughts on what the best orchid medium on the BC coast is best for the conditions?
They sound more like fungus gnats to me; I'd repot ASAP into orchid bark. Thrips are little white bouncy bugs.
Thrips are not bouncy; the bouncy ones are springtails. Yes, you have thrips palmi, which match your description AND loves to infest orchids. The thrips themselves do minimal damage even in large numbers but can stunt or warp growth by feeding on terminal shoots, the undersides of leaves, and buddling flowers or fruits. The thrips carries Watermelon silver mottle virus that makes your leaves turn silver and shrivel up, as well as Ground nut bud necrosis. Here is an article on them: http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/parrella/rose pma thrips.html Hope this helps!
