What's eating my dancing lady orchid?

Dancing Lady Orchid (Oncidium varicosum) is a vigorous grower most troubled by spider mites in warm, dry indoor conditions. Scale and mealybugs attack pseudobulbs, and thrips can scar the sprays of yellow blooms. Good airflow and regular misting discourage mites; inspect pseudobulbs monthly and treat early to protect the long branching flower spikes.

Fine silvery stippling across leaves with fine webbing on undersides; plants weaken in hot, dry spots Raise ambient humidity, rinse foliage, and apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray weekly for three to four weeks

Hard bumps on pseudobulbs and leaf midribs; sticky honeydew and yellowing in advanced cases Remove manually with alcohol-dipped brush; follow with repeated neem oil or horticultural oil applications

Silver-streaked or brown-edged petals on the yellow flower sprays; distorted buds Discard affected flower spikes; spray foliage with spinosad insecticide weekly, repeating for at least three treatments