Phalenopsis leaf mite damage?

[Aep52]

I’ve had this orchid for about 5 months and haven’t noticed any damage except for some yellow around the edges of the older leaves until recently. I’m assuming it might be mites since one of my other plants I was cleaning off and found a red streak but they’re were no webs and only a day ago got a new plant. Is this mite damage and if it is what’s the best way to treat it that will work for orchids and succulents?

As a side note, a treatment without anything needing to be refrigerated would be great since there is no refrigerator in my dorm

[MrHappyRotter]

It doesn't look like mite damage to me.

But if you want to be extra safe, you can use pretty much any of the insecticides at Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, etc that also list mites as a target pest. Then there are horticultural oils (like neem) and potassium fatty acids (Safer soap) that can be helpful, but it may be a tad harder to completely eliminate mites with these products, they work better as preventatives. There are also products like AzaMax that claim to be effective against mites, but you'll have to go to a specialty shop or order that online.

In the short term you could try spraying the plant(s) with isopropyl rubbing alcohol. It won't hurt orchids, but it'll do a number on mites. You'll need to repeat the treatment at least once a week (if not more) over the course of several weeks. Some people also report success with soapy water (add a small amount of dish soap, don't go overboard).

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board! I grew orchids in my dorm room.

Mite damage tends to have a patchy distribution, not discrete circular areas. It's more noticeable on the undersurfaces. Biting or sucking insects may damage a leaf in one spot, and the surrounding tissue may die, leaving a spot like on your plant. The insect might be long gone. If the problem doesn't progress I would not treat.

Fungus can look like this, but is highly unlikely outside a very humid environment. I wouldn't expect fungus in a low-humidity, heated dorm room in winter.

A spray bottle with 70% isopropyl alcohol, sold in the US as rubbing alcohol, will also kill adult insects, but not always their eggs.