Termites, yes, termites.

Hello guys! As you have read above I have a termite problem, I was ready to germinate today and I found termites wing on the surface of my coco coir pots. I know that termites with wings are those which are ready to start new colonies when the humidity is high (usually after rain) and they drop their wings after they copulate. Pretty bad for me they decided that my grow room is the perfect place for new colonies.
Luckily I haven't started the grow yet, so I was thinking in disolving some termite poison in water and water the pots with it, then wash the coco with clean water and then start the grow. Do you think this might affect the grow of the plants?
I confirmed that they are termites cause I killed few of them on the surface.
I found wing on all pots.

You wouldn't happen to have a co2 system would you?...Sealing your environment, sucking out the oxygen and then filling it full of co2 is a very effective method for killing a variety of different pests, so long as they rely on oxygen to live, of course. As far as the coco goes, what exactly will you be using as termite poison? I mean, I'd think that it could be flushed out of the medium but I could very well be wrong...coco doesn't hold much if anything though so it should work. I'm not sure how much $ coco costs, but would it be an option to chuck those pots and buy new coco? Just a thought, good luck buddy sorry to hear about the termites!

xxorezxx said:

Hello guys! As you have read above I have a termite problem, I was ready to germinate today and I found termites wing on the surface of my coco coir pots. I know that termites with wings are those which are ready to start new colonies when the humidity is high (usually after rain) and they drop their wings after they copulate. Pretty bad for me they decided that my grow room is the perfect place for new colonies.
Luckily I haven't started the grow yet, so I was thinking in disolving some termite poison in water and water the pots with it, then wash the coco with clean water and then start the grow. Do you think this might affect the grow of the plants?
I confirmed that they are termites cause I killed few of them on the surface.
I found wing on all pots.
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There are numerous articles suggesting termites do not eat coco. Not saying you aren’t seeing them. But one source suggests using coco to avoid termites in place of wood mulch.

hotrodharley said:

There are numerous articles suggesting termites do not eat coco. Not saying you aren’t seeing them. But one source suggests using coco to avoid termites in place of wood mulch.

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My actual concern is not about the termites eating the coco, they might have chosen that place because the humidity, my actual concern is about possible larvas or termites eating the roots of my incoming plants.

They may decide not to take up residence there where they won't have a food source, but I would still want to get rid of them at least out of the grow area before starting up. But that's just me being a bit picky, lol.

Keep an eye on your plants and watch for droopyness. I actually had a subterranean termite infestation that was inside one of our outdoor plants a few years ago. They usually need ground contact so I put the pot on a plastic trash bag and they ended up dying off. It was weird as hell snapping off a branch and having termites fall out of the hollow center of the stems. .

Looks more like lacewings ...... ( I kill termites professionally let’s say )

I wouldn't grow in anything after running any kind of "poison" through it. You could flush the coco with a neem oil solution which isn't a poison.

xxorezxx said:

My actual concern is not about the termites eating the coco, they might have chosen that place because the humidity, my actual concern is about possible larvas or termites eating the roots of my incoming plants.

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Understood but they have to be living somewhere to await this. Termite larva are fed. By grown termites eating wood. Not plant roots.

I'd be more worried about my home than the plant.

Budzbuddha said:

Looks more like lacewings ...... ( I kill termites professionally let’s say )

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I will find one and take a photo, I would be really grateful if you can identify it precisely!

They probably were in your home and were spreading when they found the pot. I bet a termite inspection will turn up some bad news.

Budzbuddha said:

Looks more like lacewings ...... ( I kill termites professionally let’s say )

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Those do look like lacewings, good eye

Lacewings will eat aphids and such they are good to have around.

Could you bake your coco in the oven for an hour at 450F?

Then allow to cool.

Rebuffer and away to go?

As far as termites ... has your home EVER had an infestation that you never took care of or had professionally treated ?

( * termite inspector hat on ) .....

Have you found SWARMER wings in the window tracks or places of similar dropped wings ?
House had wood repair for termites ? Even if house was fumed years ago .... swarmers can and will establish again. Subs live in the soil ...... building shelter tubes and are the MOST destructive over the common drywood termites . I have personally seen termite damage in planter boxes , plant shelving , even garden posts and fencing. Excessive moisture conditions CAN be conducive to termites but they really will not interfere with plants. Nematodes is an option . However adding any kind of good termiticide ( dursban , termidor , bifenthrin , etc . ) probably would do more harm than good.

Use spinosad ..... safe for you and it is a “ broad spectrum “ killer ..... meaning it is labeled for many types of insect infestations. Bugs are bugs .... they all seek moisture , shelter and food and soon as those conditions are met , you get bugs.

I have seen them before, at a place I worked. They started pouring out of a hole that was cut in the wall for plumbing. A huge swarm of them dropping out and flying for the light. With a lot of them, their wings fell off and they crawled around like ants. The business owner filled the hole they came out of with a caulk, instead of exterminating, and about a week later they where through it with an even more massive swarm.

The Gram Reaper said:

I have seen them before, at a place I worked. They started pouring out of a hole that was cut in the wall for plumbing. A huge swarm of them dropping out and flying for the light. With a lot of them, their wings fell off and they crawled around like ants. The business owner filled the hole they came out of with a caulk, instead of exterminating, and about a week later they where through it with an even more massive swarm.

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Actually the massive swarm has appeared once and not treated.

They will most likely swarm out again in a few days, I would follow Budzbuddha's advice.

Budzbuddha said:

As far as termites ... has your home EVER had an infestation that you never took care of or had professionally treated ?

( * termite inspector hat on ) .....

Have you found SWARMER wings in the window tracks or places of similar dropped wings ?
House had wood repair for termites ? Even if house was fumed years ago .... swarmers can and will establish again. Subs live in the soil ...... building shelter tubes and are the MOST destructive over the common drywood termites . I have personally seen termite damage in planter boxes , plant shelving , even garden posts and fencing. Excessive moisture conditions CAN be conducive to termites but they really will not interfere with plants. Nematodes is an option . However adding any kind of good termiticide ( dursban , termidor , bifenthrin , etc . ) probably would do more harm than good.

Use spinosad ..... safe for you and it is a “ broad spectrum “ killer ..... meaning it is labeled for many types of insect infestations. Bugs are bugs .... they all seek moisture , shelter and food and soon as those conditions are met , you get bugs.

Click to expand...

Budzbuddha said:

Looks more like lacewings ...... ( I kill termites professionally let’s say )

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We had a massive swarm of those insect (not sure if they are termites now) and never treated them correctly.

Hope that you help me identify them please!