Need help with pest diagnosis and treatment

Heya growers,

I'm currently having my first grow in some no till soil and had some issues with what I thought was fungus gnats originally. The gnat issue has gone down but now I realise I've gotten it wrong and upon inspection I can see these tiny white bugs all over the pot, saucer and some leaves and I'm not sure if they're the dreaded spider mites or something else.

I was treating with Neem oil for the gnats (but stopping that now since I'm heading into flower) and also had some stuff called vitality plus I got from my local grow shop that the attendant recommended that I was spraying on the leaves. I've also got some diatomaceous earth on the way.

Attached some pics and hoping someone can help with the diagnosis and ideal treatment to get on top of it once they've already destroyed one plant plus any indication on the severity so far.

Thanks in advance

Looks like Thrips.. they lay eggs on the the top of the leaf, and drill holes , scavenge for food on the bottom.

Thanks mate - what's the best way to clear them out? Just started getting into flower and I can see then on the leaves, pot and saucer I've heard the Neem affects the end product pretty badly if I keep on using it in flower. Would the diatomaceous earth help at all?

They look like soil/mold mites to me.

slacker140 said:

They look like soil/mold mites to me.

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Hard to see them but can make out many legs and a mite shaped body so mites of some kind.

Joki100 said:

Thanks mate - what's the best way to clear them out? Just started getting into flower and I can see then on the leaves, pot and saucer I've heard the Neem affects the end product pretty badly if I keep on using it in flower. Would the diatomaceous earth help at all?

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I use Safers End All insecticidal soap and add 10ml/L canola oil to it for regular mites, thrips and other creepy-crawlies on my plants. Like neem it will make buds taste nasty so needs to be done ASAP. Good soak down every 3 days for at least 3 treatments is needed tho. Careful with neem as too strong can screw up the plants.

Citric acid will take care of them.


Ignore the spider mites in the title. It works on bugs period including thrips.

hotrodharley said:

Citric acid will take care of them.

Organic Methods to Control Spider Mites - Farm Homestead

Organic methods to control spider mites, the most frequent and damaging pest to an indoor garden.

farmhomestead.com

Ignore the spider mites in the title. It works on bugs period including thrips.

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I'm going to have to try that. Picked up some citric acid at the drug store a couple years ago and add some to my water sometimes to feed the plants.

OldMedUser said:

I'm going to have to try that. Picked up some citric acid at the drug store a couple years ago and add some to my water sometimes to feed the plants.

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Very cheap by the pound on Amazon. Powdered. Be sure to mix very well before use. Warm water speeds up dissolution.

By the way products like Flying Skull Nuke Em? Only active ingredient is citric acid. Everything else in it is inactive. $48 a bottle here. Why pay that when a pound of food grade citric acid is less than $15 delivered?

Joki100 said:

Heya growers,

I'm currently having my first grow in some no till soil and had some issues with what I thought was fungus gnats originally. The gnat issue has gone down but now I realise I've gotten it wrong and upon inspection I can see these tiny white bugs all over the pot, saucer and some leaves and I'm not sure if they're the dreaded spider mites or something else.

I was treating with Neem oil for the gnats (but stopping that now since I'm heading into flower) and also had some stuff called vitality plus I got from my local grow shop that the attendant recommended that I was spraying on the leaves. I've also got some diatomaceous earth on the way.

Attached some pics and hoping someone can help with the diagnosis and ideal treatment to get on top of it once they've already destroyed one plant plus any indication on the severity so far.

Thanks in advance

Click to expand...

Small white/translucent mites fairly slow moving with many long hairs coming off their body?

Mould mites aka Tyrophagus putrescentiae

they are not a plant pest they are attracted to very damp humid mouldy conditions.