Help! Root Aphids

[BayArea]

I've been battling these little bugs for over six weeks now. Root Aphids. They're hard shelled, pale in color, almost impossible to kill and scurry around the root system sucking vital fluids. I've dealt w/ numerous insect infestations but none with this kind of persistance. We're talking 6 weeks with weekly applications of Azamax and lately Bayer 3 in 1. I drench the medium sometimes even double the recommended dose and they show up 2 or 3 days later. I grow in 5 gallon pots using pro-mix and typically use strict organic methods. Please let me know if any of you have had any experience killing these things.

 

[Red Reign]

I had root aphids last year, but mine were black. No pest strips got rid of mine.

There is a long thread over at ICMag about a species of root aphid that is very hard to eradicate. People had success with Merit 75 and Bayer Tree and Shrub, both have Imid as the active ingredient. Bayer Tree and Shrub is cheaper and easier to get. Pretty sure they were using the Bayer liquid at 5 ml per gallon.

 

[JACKMAYOFFER]

There all over the roots on clones that come from a large vendor in cali at the dispencerys... I have some stuff that got rid of the in one dose never seen them after I killed them.. When I get home I will get you the name..I Picked it up at the hydro store.....there bad I hate those fuckers..Jack

 

[BayArea]

Thanks guys...........like to hear about whatever product your talking about Jack - thanks

 

[OldToker]

Please........what gets rid of those fuckers?

 

[Jalisco Kid]

Wisdom TC works.JK

 

[BayArea]

Hey, it's not organic but I run a commercial set-up and can't afford to waste time or production on these insects. Imadicloprid works. Bayer 3 in 1 at 1tblspn per gallon as a soil leach will do the trick w/ multiple applications. My hydro store recommended not adding nutes to the mix. I found adding nutes are okay and simply adding it to your regular feeding cycle works. After 4 weeks of applying this I decided to stop and see if the bugs prevail - they did. I found some more tiny ones roaming around the drain trays. I stepped in up and bought Bayer's "complete insect killer". It has .73 Imadicloprid (as opposed to the 3 in 1 which has about .42) and works systematically for 30 days - it can only be applied to younger plants and needs time to dissapate prior to harvest but it works better than the 3 in 1. Same formula of application - 1 tblespn per gallon. These insects are hard to kill - once fertilized the female will produce mini-clones of herself skipping the egg stage, resulting in effecient breeding. A female adult can do this every three days. These babies are identicle, just smaller and stick closer to the primary root system. I plan on posting some detailed info on whole experience this week if your interested or have had an issue.

 

[JACKMAYOFFER]

Green Light Tree & Shrub insect killer one shot there dead. There every where in Cali now They are on the roots of clones from clubs...

 

[pimpin]

azamax and its organic a bit pricey worked for me

 

[bicycle racer]

fuck these things are ruining my vegging plants in my case growth has badly slowed and some plants show yellowing growth what symptoms are others experiencing from these insects? i have hundreds of them they are found on the medium surface and in my runoff trays there small black or dark grey and some have wings(not fungus gnats). i only find them in or around the medium never on foliage so i assume they are feasting on my roots. so i think i will try green light tree and shrub insect killer as someone suggested.

 

[Jalisco Kid]

Merit 75 has the strongest formula,wisdom is safer. JK

 

[Pot Boy]

WOW!Thanks Hope I never have to fight those little bastards..

 

[Dubwobble]

Throw everything out and completely clean your room. Do a couple bug bombs and wach everything down with bleach and water.

Root Aphids suck BAD.

 

[opt1c]

Merit 75 WP off ebay is the best. It is a systemic 90 day residual nicotine based poison that does travel throughout the plant and doesn't just stay in the roots. That being said it's a hell of a lot better than loosing the genetics and room to root aphids. It does work and will knock them down. I like to add gnatrol wdg after to make sure nothing is alive in the root zone. If i'm feeling nice to my plants i'll hit em with a fresh earth worm casing tea to repopulate the root zone with benes. If you're in late flower i'd try azatrol/azamax as a drench; it's not like older neem oils and doesn't need warm water to emulsify so you won't cook your roots using it. Good luck.

 

[bicycle racer]

where can wisdom tc be found do most hydro shops carry it or possibly armstrong home and garden?

 

[flying lotus]

root aphids are killing me son. damn. I have used azatrol, azamax, SAFER 3 in 1 garden spray, pythoff, and tried a mix of canola oil with a couple drops of dish soap....

nothing has downed these things except azatrol,azamax for me.. and yes they are back in a couple days... been fighting them for 8 weeks.

i would agree the best strategy would be to immediately pull everything and clean everything in the room. i didn't do this and now REALLY wish I did. all my co workers have them now too they seem to be killing all over socal.


i will try the Merit 75 and or wisdom tc.... and update as well..... a fellow grower tried to tell me about a product called avid but i looked it up and it seems to be pretty toxic and can stay in your plants for a couple months. a lot of people are using this but i would recomend against it for your health.


peace, lotus

 

[BBC]

Maybe you guys might find this article interesting

I hope I never see the buggers

 

[dusty]

You cannot kill root aphids. The only way to get rid of them is to get rid of everything that has roots..buy everything new..new pots etc., scrub your trays to lookin new, vacuum everything up and start over or they will keep coming back. Start over and sterlize everything. If you have them that's how you get rid of them you cannot kill them in your root zone.

Do not accept rooted clones from any one, cut rooted clones you get and re root them yourself in an environment you know isn't contaminated

I closed this thread because I just included the solution to how to stop them. Doing it any other way is following misinformation and a detriment to your garden as a whole.