Small white flecks on my dendrobiums?
 

Can anyone identify these small white flecks on my dendrobiums? I have them on several plants, there seem be more of them around the 'joints' (for lack of a better word, I'm not sure what the correct term is) in the canes and at the base of the leaves. They don't seem to move, but they came back after I washed the plants. Also, the leaves on some canes have dried up and turned brown, which I think might be connected.

Those are scale insects. They can damage plants like you've seen, and they can kill plants.

With a bad infestation I would quickly knock down the population by spraying all plant surfaces, top and bottom, plus wetting the medium, with 70% alcohol, sold as rubbing alcohol. That will not kill all the eggs but will stop the severe damage.

People use different treatments after that. You can do some reading here about what works. But I recommend treating with alcohol as quickly as you can get it.

It is probable they are on your other plants, too. Get a good magnifying glass and get in the habit of inspecting your plants closely from time to time.

Thank you!! I will definitely get on that!!

ES, didn't you mean mealy bugs?

It looks to me more like immature scale. Treatment will take care of both, except that scale is harder to get rid of. For both, persistence.

I think they're scale. Mealy bugs have a more obvious body form. You can usually see segments and tail spiracles. Juvenile scale look like scruffy pieces of white wax.