I’m very careful to check for mites before bringing in new/used orchid. Had them once. Treated leaves with rubbing alcohol applied by spray or Q tip.
@LnzyHou Okay, I'll go ahead and wipe them down with my mix then. Thank you :)
Look closely where leaves join. They hide there. Isolate plants that are infected. Mites will jump to other plants.
@LnzyHou Been thinking about it, and we have a road trip coming up. We were going to pay a neighbor to tend to the plants, but since I have to prune them down this much, I'll go ahead and transplant everyone. I'll wash the plants off with a gentle brush, then put them in travel sized containers with sterilized soil. I can scrub one of my small shelves and move it into the bedroom. The plant area can sit empty until we get back. No idea how long we will be. Even the frog will come.
My orchids have to be watered weekly. I pay in good chocolate.
@tippitiwichet @LnzyHou Yes, there are a few species of spider mites that can be problematic for orchids, especially thin leaved ones.