What's eating my rothschild's bulbophyllum?

Bulbophyllum rothschildianum is a prized indoor epiphyte whose clustered pseudobulbs make it especially hospitable to mealybugs and scale. These pests nest in the tight spaces between growths, making them hard to reach with sprays alone. Manual alcohol treatment followed by systemic neem oil is the most effective strategy for this species.

Cottony white masses tucked between pseudobulbs and rhizome nodes; weakened new growths and yellowing Remove manually with alcohol swab; apply neem oil spray to entire plant; repeat weekly for 4–6 weeks; unpot and inspect roots if infestation persists

Hard waxy bumps on rhizomes, pseudobulbs, and leaf undersides; leaf yellowing and honeydew deposits Scrape off and treat with isopropyl alcohol; follow with horticultural oil spray every 2 weeks

Pale stippling across leaves; webbing on undersides in low-humidity environments Maintain humidity above 50%; rinse leaves; apply miticide or insecticidal soap every 5–7 days for 3 rounds