Might have spider mites or thrips, +rep for help

I just found some little white dots on a few leaves on one of my plants. I haven't found any mites so it might be nute burn, though I've never seen little white dot nute burns.

Here's the funny thing, I just added UVB lights a couple of hours ago. I understand that UVB is good for pest control with certain pests.

The question is, does it work on mites or thrips?

Also can someone tell me if it's best just to spray with Mite X (oil based) just in case or if it stresses out the plant? In which case maybe removing the leaves and seeing if it comes back before spraying might be the safer option.

+rep to anyone who can help me

Dr. Doom spider mite spray and a fogger if its bad but does'nt sound like it. My buddy used neem on mine and that shit just fucked them up. Been using just the spider mite spray for 2 weeks or so and I could see mine on the underside of the leaves with dots on them, and now no mites. I'm sure there lingering but that spray is great if you ask me, still getting good growth since I started using it. Hope this helps.

on the leaves with spots...fip that leaf so you can see its under side...do you see webing or red/black dots....mites

alot of circlular dots are signs of mites

goatslayer said:

Dr. Doom spider mite spray and a fogger if its bad but does'nt sound like it. My buddy used neem on mine and that shit just fucked them up. Been using just the spider mite spray for 2 weeks or so and I could see mine on the underside of the leaves with dots on them, and now no mites. I'm sure there lingering but that spray is great if you ask me, still getting good growth since I started using it. Hope this helps.

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Thanks for helping +rep

The Mite X came highly recomended by the horticulturist at the nursery, they always have problems with spider mites because the humidities so low here. And this one was the cheapest on the shelf so I figured I could trust her recomendation.

I have heat problems becaue of cheap hoods, so the plants are 80 degrees but 2 feet away it's around 30 degrees. I'm sure I don't need to fog, if they're there, they're right at the plants. And I must have just introduced them somehow.

vapedg13 said:

on the leaves with spots...fip that leaf so you can see its under side...do you see webing or red/black dots....mites

alot of circlular dots are signs of mites

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Thanks for helping +rep

Yep, I got mites. I just went and took another look. I clipped the leaf with the nute burns and took a real good look under the cloning station fluoros. I didn't see any mites but where there were white dots on the top side, there were little white bumps on the underside. Kind of looked like eggs to me.

I clipped a tiny leaf at the bottom of the plant with white dots, same thing, white bumps that didn't move even when I touched it with my clippers.

The third leaf had the same white bumps but I noticed two little black bumps, kinda looked like dirt. But when I touched one with the clippers it started moving. I put the leaves in a cup and filled the cup with water. The black dot is floating in the water, kind of looks like a small lint ball. Is that a spider mite?

Is it best to spray or can I get rid of them with the 10.0 UVB reptile bulbs?

And am I itchy now because I know they're around, or do they bite people?

Spider Mites like it warm and dry and they can multiply out of control in a matter of a week so you have to keep a close eye on them. Some sprays are no good to use in flowering cycle and if you are trying to finish a few plants the neem oil (when mixed at the right concentration) can buy some time, but must be applied regularly until the plants finish.

Little Tommy said:

Spider Mites like it warm and dry and they can multiply out of control in a matter of a week so you have to keep a close eye on them. Some sprays are no good to use in flowering cycle and if you are trying to finish a few plants the neem oil (when mixed at the right concentration) can buy some time, but must be applied regularly until the plants finish.

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Thanks for the help +rep

I think they're thrips though. They're longer and thin. According to the chart that came with the spray spider mites are kinda roundish.

The spray I have can be used up until harvest on tomatos & strawberries, so I guess it's save for buds up until harvest.

I hope I don't have to keep treating for the next 3 months, that would suck. I only had them on half a dozen leaves on one plant. I sprayed the heck out of the plant and sprayed all the other plants too. Caught one trying to escape down the side of the planter and squished it, then sprayed the run off saucer so none could escape. I hope that works.

I still have eggs on the underside of some of the leaves, should I clip the leaves & get rid of them or should the spray kill the eggs too?

I am not sure about thrips, I have only battled Spider Mites up until now. I would wash them with soapy water (mild dish soap) rather than cutting them off unless it is going to keep you up at night. lol

Little Tommy said:

I am not sure about thrips, I have only battled Spider Mites up until now. I would wash them with soapy water (mild dish soap) rather than cutting them off unless it is going to keep you up at night. lol

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Hell, I gotta stay up all night so I can turn the lights & A/C back on, wash laundry, and shower. lol

Thanks for the info, I'm not even really sure if they are eggs, but they're white little bumps opposite of those little white spots on the top of the leaf. So I'm assuming they're eggs.

I think I'm gonna just cut them to be on the safe side, but not till the lights come go on. I'll water at the same time, they need water bad especially after spraying them. They're really drooping now.

get a no pest strip and put in your grow space, it won't kill them by itself but it will help keep them out once you have them under control. good luck!!!

Bummer dude ! Have you tried any plant soaps ? I had a bad case of spider mites out side last year and used a soap that was for spraying vegtables, it worked great and was safe for pets so I guess it would be safe to smoke !? Most hardware or home depot would carry it . Hope it helps guy !! Good luck

kevin said:

get a no pest strip and put in your grow space, it won't kill them by itself but it will help keep them out once you have them under control. good luck!!!

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Good idea, thanks +rep

I wish I knew how they got in though. I didn't even go out yesterday and I keep the connecting bedroom cold, like 30 degrees, to help keep the closet cool with the lights on. Frustrating.

ol hippy said:

Bummer dude ! Have you tried any plant soaps ? I had a bad case of spider mites out side last year and used a soap that was for spraying vegtables, it worked great and was safe for pets so I guess it would be safe to smoke !? Most hardware or home depot would carry it . Hope it helps guy !! Good luck

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Thanks for the info +rep

But I already bought Might X, it's real dry here so I already planned for a possible infestion.

The horticulturist said that she used it on one of these big bushes that's in the parking lot of the nursery to get rid of spider mites and she only had to apply it once. I hope it works that good on thrips.

i know you dont like neem oil but, use the neem around the plant {not the foliage and the little buggers will flock to it and die.
i also spray the soil , it works for me and its cheap, i use those 3 gallon black plastic pots , the little bugs are stuck to the neem oil coating on the pots

2much said:

i know you dont like neem oil but, use the neem around the plant {not the foliage and the little buggers will flock to it and die.
i also spray the soil , it works for me and its cheap, i use those 3 gallon black plastic pots , the little bugs are stuck to the neem oil coating on the pots

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Thanks for the info +rep

I've been hearing a lot about neem oil, I wish I had bought it instead of the spray.

I'll buy some neem oil if this spray don't work. I'm trying my best to conserve money so I don't have to put them into flower tommorow (only 1 month veg).

these are thrips

In this photo there are 9-10 thrips... all those little yellow things..see how they mark up the leaves

mites leaves small circular marks on the top side of leaves

vapedg13 said:

these are thrips

In this photo there are 9-10 thrips... all those little yellow things..see how they mark up the leaves

mites leaves small circular marks on the top side of leaves

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The dots looked white on my plant, but that's them. Maybe the MH & HPS made them look white, I don't know. But I used the Mite X, worked like a charm. Didn't kill the eggs though, at least they didn't look dead, so I had to remove them myself. I added two 10.0 UVB 18" tubes today to help prevent future infestations. And I'm looking into ladybugs which I think might be the best prevention of all. If I can figure out what & how to feed them while keeping them at least a little hungry.

Mites, thrips, and aphids are bad in this area, the average humidity is 20%. So prevention's on my mind now.

If those tiny little things on the leafs are thrips, then either those are babies or I had a different strain. Mine were bigger, but cigar shaped just like them. And no wings thank god.

Does a sulpur burner help with the mites?

Thanks

123light said:

Does a sulpur burner help with the mites?

Thanks

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yes the adults but not the eggs.........remember sulfur vaporizer = a strong rotten egg smell

goatslayer said:

Dr. Doom spider mite spray and a fogger if its bad but does'nt sound like it. My buddy used neem on mine and that shit just fucked them up. Been using just the spider mite spray for 2 weeks or so and I could see mine on the underside of the leaves with dots on them, and now no mites. I'm sure there lingering but that spray is great if you ask me, still getting good growth since I started using it. Hope this helps.

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What is it called the spray u used for the mites?