Question
Some of my phalaenopsis leaves have developed multiple small brown spots.  Appreciate your insight into what these may be and how to best treat and prevent in the future.

Thank you.

Answer
Janet, one possibility is scale.  This is a sucking insect that frequents orchids.  Best way to check is to take a q-tip or cotton swab and soak it in some rubbing alcohol.  Then rub one or two of these spots to see if it comes off onto the cotton.  If it does, it likely is scale.  If that is the csse you can proceed to remove all that you can find on the plant in the same manner,  Since there may be eggs yet unhatched, you may need to repeat this procedure several times over several weeks.  You could also use a systemic insecticide such as Bayer Advanced Formula to get the insecticide inside of the plant tissue for a longer term treatment.  If the spots don't come off with rubbing, you may have a fungus infection and will need to spray with a fungicide-- again over several weeks. In the latter case, the spots will remain but the fungicide will help prevent spread to other leaf surfaces.