Are these insect bites or sun burns ?

[BraggPeak]

I noticed some strange patterns on the new leaves of several phals. It only appeared on the new leaves, no sign of rot. Just some strange marks and something looks like loss of pigments. All these things developed on the new leaves, and seems to be fine after those leaves grow big enough. The flowers also shows some similar patterns on the edge of petals. Just wondering are these insect bites or sun burns ?

[Roberta]

Insects, or other physical damage. The damage on the flowers looks like what thrips do... they can get into the developing bud and damage the edges of the flowers like that.

[camille1585]

That leaf damage is characteristic for thrips as well. A couple months back I read an article about thrips in Phals from a a major dutch commercial nursery, an had filed that information for future use. Looks like it came in handy! Have a look at the photos in the article: Thrips in Phalaenopsis - Anthura

[estación seca]

Thrips damage on other hard-leafed plants looks like this, too. An example is citrus. The damage occurs when the new leaf is very tiny.

[Fuerte Rav]

I've had leaves looking exactly like that after an attack by cochineal/mealy bugs. The V shape on the top surface of the leaf and the pale rough/bumpy areas on the underside. Several sprayings of Neem Oil mixed with Hort soap and water at weekly intervals eradicated the bugs from my orchids (all grown indoors) - unfortunately they are widespread in my garden

[Clawhammer]

I had thrips in my grow room for about 18 months, but they mostly preferred cattleya and catasetum. Hard to deny the thrips diagnosis when you look at the pics in Camille's post.

I finally got rid of those horrible pests from hell by alternating sprayings of imidacloprid and pyrethrins every 3 days for 8 treatments (4 each pesticide).

Probably a little easier to treat phals, less places for them to utilize their hiding skills.