Question
Hi Wayne,
I have an orchid garden with about 8 plants that I have been growing for a few years now.  They all have been doing great and all have been reblooming for several years.  In the last week I have noticed small light brown bumps that contain some kind of fluid growing on the outer edges of the leaves and on the stawk.  It seems to be contagious because it started on one and now has spread to the orchid next to it.  There also seem to be some wet spots on top of some of the leaves (shiny areas)that I know is not water.  Any thoughts?

Answer
Meredith, I suspect that you have an infection of the scale insect. The wet spots are plant sap which is most likely the reult of a sucking insect-- scale is likely to be the culprit.  Another hint is that, in their adult stage, scale have a hard browm covering.  It also spreads readily.  In the larval stage, they are less visible and don't have the crusty covering.  The larval stage is called the "crawler" stage when they move about the plant.

This is what I do:  soak cotton balls in 70% rubbing alcohol and go over all areas of all your plants.  The scale should come off on the cotton balls which should be discarded.  It may take several cotton balls to remove all visible signs of the insect.  After that, locate a systemic insecticide at you garden center.  This may come as granules, powder, or liquid and the label must say that it is effective against scale.  The purpose of this is long term protection against those you have missed and any eggs that hatch subsequectly.  The systemic insecticide is absorbed into the plant tissue and, as these sucking insects draw out the plant sap, they also get a measure of insecticide that will kill them.  It takes a while to be effective as it needs to get into the plant tissue but, once there, it can last as long as 6 weeks.  Be sure to read the label carefully.   Wish you well on this.