Spider mites SUCK! No Pest Strip?

[allencatskill]

Into my second week of flowering and third week of battling spider mites. After trying several methods (ie. Neem, iso/water) I went out and bought a Hot shot no pest strip after reading reports of complete eradication. I've had the NPS hanging in my grow tent for a few days now and the mites don't seem to be affected, and are still scurrying along the undersides of my poor, spotted leaves. If anyone has any advice, please chime in.

 

[EsmeWeatherwax]

Hello, how big is your tent and how many strips did you get? Also how often are you venting your tent?

 

[golddog]

You might need to turn off the exhaust overnight. or get another strip.

They should just kill them outright.

You might want to get some Doktor Doom Spray to kill them. Works pretty good. That would knock them down. and keep the strip around.

If you are really infested they are difficult to stop.

Good Luck

 

[allencatskill]

Hello, how big is your tent and how many strips did you get? Also how often are you venting your tent?

tent is 3 x 5. I turned off all fans, but my cool tube fan has to stay running because I have a 1000 watt hps. If i shut it off they'd cook for sure. I'm on 12/12 so the cool tube fan is running for 12 hours straight.

 

[EsmeWeatherwax]

If your cool tube is taking air out of the tent the hot shots will not have a chance to work.

 

[allencatskill]

If your cool tube is taking air out of the tent the hot shots will not have a chance to work.

Yeah. I'm probably going to have to disconnect my carbon filter and suck air from the outside instead of the inside.

 

[EsmeWeatherwax]

That would work. Remember that even after you think they are gone eggs can hatch and it will start all over again.

 

[mrduke]

does it matter where you hang the strips? top, bottom, by a fan???

 

[allencatskill]

does it matter where you hang the strips? top, bottom, by a fan???

From what I've read, you need to turn off all fans in order for the insecticide to permeate properly. I've been hanging the strips just above the tops of my colas, but I don't know if that's the best place. It just seemed logical to place them above the plants.

 

[GranolaGumbo]

Side note about Neem Oil...
Neem is not a topical insecticide. It works by screwing with the birth cycle of the buggins. You apply it to your plants, they incoporate it in their new growth, the buggins eat the plant and then they can't make more buggins.
Think of it as using a antibiotic.... not instant, but very effective when properly used. IMHO, it usually takes about 2 weeks to work it's way into your plant and kill the buggins.
Don't forget to avoid bright light when applying the oil to your plants as spraying Neem oil on your plants under daylight will burn them right up at record speed.

 

[EsmeWeatherwax]

I like to hang the strips on the plants to get them as close to the bugs as possible.

 

[allencatskill]

So I checked my plants this morning and I cannot find any live mites. A couple of days ago they were scurrying around the undersides of my leaves and now there seems to be no adult mites anywhere. I did, however, find a few clusters of eggs which I'm sure are ready to hatch. I know there is a lot of controversy surrounding the No Pest Strips, but right now I'm thinking they're a gift from god. I'm about 5 weeks from harvest......hopefully everything is under control and I can still get a decent yield.

 

[EsmeWeatherwax]

Good deal. Keep checking as they may come back.

 

[allencatskill]

Checked again in more detail. No adult mites to be seen, but my plants are still being destroyed. I guess they're still in there somewhere. Pretty bummed.

 

[selmagreen]

I had a constant battle with those little spideys. The ONLY trult effective thing I have found is dare I say it AVID. Yes that horrible poison. The nice thing about it is your plant absorbs the avid and future gen. of mites hatch chew and DIE!! Just make sure you use it early enough to allow it to leave the plant before harvest. It takes 21 days to clear out. I never use it past week 2 in flower.

 

[EdGreyfox]

I use a combination of no pest strips and neem. The no pest strips work fairly well, but I've had spider mites come back when i relied on those alone and didn't remember to give my plants their once a week preventative neem spraying. I only do a 1/4 strength spray, but between that and the no pest strips the mites have stayed under control for the last couple of months.

 

[homebrewer]

You might want to get some Doktor Doom Spray to kill them. Works pretty good. That would knock them down. and keep the strip around.

They also make a fogger that works incredibly well. If you've got mites, get the DoctorDoom fogger. This is the best advice you'll get

 

[allencatskill]

They also make a fogger that works incredibly well. If you've got mites, get the DoctorDoom fogger. This is the best advice you'll get

I'm in my third week of flowering. Will the fogger have any negative effects on my flowers? Also, I'm growing Dj short's FLO, and max flower time is 8 weeks. If I fog or use avid now will they have time to purge the poison? It's strange.....I still don't see any adult mites and there's not that many eggs, but my fan leaves are still shrivelling up and falling off. I was expecting to pull well over an .lb from this grow, now I think I'll be lucky to get a few .oz's.

 

[golddog]

I'm in my third week of flowering. Will the fogger have any negative effects on my flowers? Also, I'm growing Dj short's FLO, and max flower time is 8 weeks. If I fog or use avid now will they have time to purge the poison? It's strange.....I still don't see any adult mites and there's not that many eggs, but my fan leaves are still shrivelling up and falling off. I was expecting to pull well over an .lb from this grow, now I think I'll be lucky to get a few .oz's.

I believe the active ingredient in Doktor Doom has a half life of 2 1/2 days, so you should be OK. Also it is a natural pesticide.

 

[homebrewer]

I believe the active ingredient in Doktor Doom has a half life of 2 1/2 days, so you should be OK. Also it is a natural pesticide.

+1

It's pyrethrins based and I thought I've read that it's safe up to a few days before harvest. The local garden store says 2 weeks before harvest. Either way you're ok.