What's eating my white-lip oncidium?

White-Lip Oncidium attracts spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs, and aphids indoors. Spider mites are the most common threat, thriving in low humidity around the pseudobulbs. Inspect undersides of leaves and sheaths regularly, isolate new plants, and maintain humidity above 50% to reduce pressure.

Fine silvery stippling on leaves; webbing visible in sheaths and between pseudobulbs under dry conditions Raise humidity, rinse foliage with room-temperature water, apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; repeat weekly for 3–4 weeks

Brown or tan waxy bumps on pseudobulbs and leaf undersides; sticky honeydew residue below Scrape off with a soft toothbrush dipped in isopropyl alcohol; treat with horticultural oil; repeat monthly until clear

White cottony clusters at leaf axils, in pseudobulb sheaths, and along roots Dab individual colonies with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol; apply neem oil drench to root zone; isolate the plant

Soft-bodied clusters on new growth and flower spikes, causing distorted buds and sticky residue Blast off with a gentle water stream; treat with insecticidal soap spray; introduce beneficial insects if grown in a greenhouse