No mystery, I'm afraid. A soft scale.

Dip a toothbrush in some water containing liquid dishwashing detergent (1
tablespoon per gallon), and scrub away.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"Brian Vogel" wrote in message
...
Hello All,

That's probably not a mystery to a number
in the r.g.o cohort. I have posted 2 photographs
on a.b.p.o under the titles "Disease Picture" #1
& #2.

This particular catt is now in very sad shape.
At first I thought I was dealing with mealybugs and
tried Neem Oil. No dice. Whatever this stuff is
doesn't ever turn "fluffy and gray black" like mealys
do.

Photo #1 shows how this stuff starts along
the base of the rhizome, looking a bit like mealys
or snowy mold. The second shows the blackening
process taking blace on one pseudobulb (lower left)
and one that's gone (directly across, the pseudobulb
that's on the very top of the three that are visible).

Several of my plants have developed this over the
summer, but this is the only one that it appears to be
killing. The two others only have a white coating around
the base of all the pseudobulbs with no blackening or
plant death at all.

Any help is most appreciated.

Brian