Hello!

I first noticed some mealy bugs on my orchids and now all my plants sre infested. I am afraid of what might happen as I can't even find the source. I used natural pyrethrum as I didn't have alcohol on hand at the moment but getting spme soon . Any recommendations or tips would be much appreciated. I am feeling rlly sad and worried i might lose some plants.

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For the Phalaenopsis and other orchids you could dip a Q-tip in 50-50 alcohol and water. Just dab it against the mealybug and it will kill them instantly.
Larger infestations treat by wiping plants down with a paper towel dipped in the alcohol mix. Rinse off after sitting on the plant for a few minutes. Use plain water.

I just spray liberally with straight alcohol. And no, I don't rinse off. Never had anything die from it.

Me too. But I do rinse. Dead mealybugs look just like live mealybugs so getting rid of the dead bugs makes it easier to spot the live ones.

Mealy bugs get their name from the thick layer of waves that protect them from predators... and contact insecticides as well!

You have three alternatives: remove them by hand, use a systemic insecticide or throughly spray your orchids with mineral oil. They all work, just be quick because Mealy bugs can seriously damage several orchid species in a short time.

Thank you all for your helpful answers! I ordered 75% alcohol so will use that once it arrives.
Do I need to repot all my plants?

No, it will just stress them even more than they already are.

ElPolloDiablo said:Mealy bugs get their name from the thick layer of waves that protect them from predators... and contact insecticides as well!

You have three alternatives: remove them by hand, use a systemic insecticide or throughly spray your orchids with mineral oil. They all work, just be quick because Mealy bugs can seriously damage several orchid species in a short time.

When someone says Mealybugs, we assume soft mealies as they didn't refer to them as scale (mealybugs with a hard shell). I assume we are dealing with soft mealybugs. Alcohol or Insecticidal Soap are the best solutions for soft mealybugs as the insects never build resistance to them. But keep a close watch as the next generation is waiting. Every time I water, I do a "bug check" with my spray bottle of alcohol at the ready. If you find a plant with mealybugs, spray it, the outside of the pot and the surface of the potting medium thoroughly. If you have them in decorative containers, take them out and check both pots.

If your orchids do get hard scale, wipe them off with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol or Insecticidal Soap. Please don't spray your orchids with mineral oil.

Wow, thanks for lecturing me, it's just what I need today.

You're welcome.