I decided not to hijack someone else's thread, so I'm copying a post from another thread I'd made, along with tmoney's response, and now adding to it.
My post from other thread:
Never say never... I've NEVER had spider mites. EVER. Two years ago decided to try growing Catasetum. All of a sudden this year, a spider mite infestation on all five. Having a party, live band, lots of snacks and beverages.
And having never experienced them before, it took me quite a while to figure out why the leaves were looking so funny. Duh.
Catasetum being a spider mite magnet... it's my new reality. UGH. 
tmoney's reply:
Quote:
Originally Posted by tmoney
same, we have 2 fdk after darks and we have a special place for them specifically because they just get mites from somewhere. almost like they make the mites themselves. interstingly, one of our plants gets hundreds of bites on the leaves, while its sibling, sitting directly next to it all year, only gets a couple. so obviouly there is some genetic component that makes the mites prefer one over the other, that is the only hypothesis i have right now. buuuuut, it's important to isolate them because having a mite outbreak on a phal is a real pita. we are becoming mite experts since we have started growing orchids
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Now carrying on with new thread here:
Yes! I noticed three of them that are just being eaten alive. And two right there with them that are still very green, a few mites here and there. Was wondering same thing. Interesting... three are SVO hybrids (the ones with mites) and the other two are both species that aren't being attacked nearly as much. I also have two reedstem Epis next to them, and one of them now looks suspicious. Gonna move them outside, chop them down to LECA level, and spray the heck out of 'em.
Literally in 60-some years of growing plants, I have never had spider mites before. It's just not something common in my neck of the woods.
tmoney, how have you been dealing with killing them off? I've been just spraying with alcohol every three days for about two weeks now. Pretty sure the mites are drinking it up along with their rock band and party favors. Going to do a Neem oil with surfactant later today, after a quick soak in water with Dawn. AND leave them on my back porch for awhile.
And those of you who grow a lot of Catasetum, please, how do you deal with this every year?!? Oh Steeeeve?
Lions and Tigers and Spider Mites, Oh My!
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