I got a toss up here (pests)

phusionsa

Active Member
So, I noticed some tiny, tiny bugs crawling on the underside of a fallen leaf.
I could only check them through my loupe (trying to get a picture of the damn things). I did not notice ANY color (do on either side of the body). They are clear-ish, kind of white, but transparent. I don't have a leg count yet, nor have I been able to see antennae. Best I can tell, its all under side of leaves. Not all, but the low hangers mostly. I am still surveying the plants. I don't know what I would consider "quick", but at their size and the rate they can run around my fingers; their hauling ass my friend. I think it is a tossup between spider mites or aphids.
I'm hoping someone has a good resource/close up pics of both characters in their younger-days?
If I have mites; has anyone used predatory mites indoor's?
If I have aphids, how can I tell if their soil based or not?

Thanks all; going back to re-check some more plants and try and snap a damn pic...argh!!!

Some notes on my grow.

roughly 3rd week flower.
White Widow, Ice, Crystal, Rasberry and Mystic.
600wHPS
3 gallon container per plant.
Animals are not allowed in the room, BUT......animals climb all over me and I go in the damn room.
Fairly well sealed room.
Have had wild weather the past few weeks. Lots of humidity, lots of rain, had some high heat issues last week.
Fox Farms soil (Majority Ocean's, couple Happy Frog).

The plants look healthy enough, although with my humidity problem and fighting the de-humidfier, the soil has gone dryer than I would have liked a couple times. I don't know if the leaves closest to the soil are droppy because of lack of direct light and soil going dry; or if it is an indication of something else (the leaves and base I can and will get pics of; give me ten).


So, anyone care to post some critter pics and help a second year grower out?

Thanks!
 

phusionsa

Active Member
Oh, yeah..Smoked a bowl earlier..Now I've seen this, I feel like the damn things are running all over me! LOL
 

phusionsa

Active Member
Crap, pressed for time now and can't get back to the plants I want to snap pics of..
Attaching two from yesterday. The plan'ts soil was ready for a watering, not bone dry like it was a time or two before. So, again, not sure if it's just lack of water droop, or if it's something in the soil going after roots. Either way, I got something that needs dealing with.
 

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phusionsa

Active Member
thrips...oh lord..I just got introduced to them on google...(please God NO!).
Thanks for the link, heading there now...
 

phusionsa

Active Member
Damn man...nice guide. +rep!

Whatever they are, I noticed them VERY early on (and by dumb luck). I am leaning towards spider mites. They don't look "long" or oblong. Fairly round. Trying to get one of the damn things to count the legs...

Seriously dude; nice guide. I zero'd in on what looked closest to my immediate issue. I'm gonna have a nice evening going back over that link more throughly.

Let me ask, be patient and try to get a better ID on these guys in 36 hours? Or go looking for natural predators now??
 

phusionsa

Active Member
Found an illustration..the larva stage is a dead ringer for the thing running around my fingers.
It's not really clear, but its not white either. And its semi-fast (all things considered). I could easily fit 10-15 of these things on the head of a pin (If I knew how to herd insects).


/nuke it from orbit; its the only way to be sure.
 

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woodsmaneh!

Well-Known Member
If it has a dot on each side you got spider mites. Take urgent action now!

You need to kill the hatches also so repeat treatment every 6 to 7 days do this 3 times.

Don't leave your plants dry too long they love that.

soap and water
neem and water
Avid (if you need to nuke them) and it's safe

Don't fool with them they will destroy your plants in 12 days if they get away from you.

Peace and good luck

info

Spider mites are garden pests that are mainly found living on the under sides of the leaves of plants. They usually spin protective silk webs around the leaves and puncture the plant cells to feed themselves, causing great damage. The most obvious signs of spider mites infestation are small brown or yellow dots and small strands of silk on the leaves of a plant, along with leaf discoloration. A spider mite infestation needs to be treated on an urgent basis, since it tends to grow too quickly. Though miticide or pesticide is the quickest solution, you can also opt for home-made insecticide, so as not to cause much harm to your plants. In the following lines, we have provided information on how to kill spider mites.

How to Get Rid of Spider Mites

  • First of all, you need to make sure that you have spider mites in your garden. Scorched looking leaves and leaf discoloration are amongst the most obvious signs. After you have seen these signs, take a white sheet of paper and hold it under a branch. Gently shake or tap the branch. Look at the paper. If it has slow-moving specks on it, your problem is surely that of spider mites.
  • In case you feel that the problem of spider mites is not too great, you can wait for sometime, to see whether it gets solved on its own. Insects like lady beetles, predatory mites and big-eyed bugs are natural predators of spider mites and can easily get rid of the problem for you. Since these predators can be killed by insecticides, make sure to spray them carefully and save the beneficial insect species.
  • One of the major conditions supporting the outbreak of spider mites on plants is dryness. So, make sure to give your plants adequate water, especially during the dry periods. In case of sturdy plants, you can even hose them down periodically. This will help in removing the dust on their leaves and thus, restrain the spider mite webbing that holds the eggs and leads to the break.
  • In order to retain moisture in plants, try to keep them away from late afternoon sun and arid weather. This solution can work mainly in the case of potted plants, which you can remove from direct sunlight and put under shade. In case of plants that are attached to the ground, try to provide them shade in any other way. For indoor plants, you can draw the shades or move them out of direct sunlight. Using a humidifier next to the plants is another option.
  • In case you feel that the problem is not going away by natural means, make your own insecticide and get rid of the spider mites. For the purpose, add 5 tbsp liquid dish detergent to 1 gallon water. Repeated spraying will be required to kill the mites. While spraying, ensure that you do use it on the undersides of the leaves. This is because spray will only kill those spider mites that it comes in contact with.
  • Another homemade insecticide comprises of alcohol and water. For making the same, add 1 part alcohol to 1 part water i.e. use both in equal quantities. Since rubbing alcohol is poisonous, it will kill the mites on contact. At the same time, it evaporates quickly and thus, will do little damage to your plant. Make sure to use the spray on the entire plant, paying emphasis on the bottoms of the leaves.
  • If you feel that even homemade insecticide is not helping you kill spider mites, you have the option of using a miticide or other pesticide on your plants. They should be applied once every five days, till all signs of spider mite infestation go away. Remember that it is quite difficult to get rid of spider mites, even when you use pesticides. So, before using such harmful substances, weigh the pros and cons first.
 

phusionsa

Active Member
Nah, can't find any eggs yet; no webs. What I saw were TINY... Sure as hell looked like larva based on that illustration...Going to fetch a sample again in about an hour and try to get something better off the plants for ID.
 

Pureblood89

Well-Known Member
Look up fungus gnats, they hatch they're lava in the soil and eat you roots, they are about 20 times smaller than a house fly when they are full grown, god they're annoying!
 
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