HL Gunn
- 38
- 18
Cool thread. Makes my skin crawl a bit though:confused:.
Root Aphids, Fungus Gnats, and other fun bugs (ID PICS)
Blaze
- 2,006
- 263
Excellent pics, good to see some solid pest management info on here.
B
budhound420
- 59
- 8
This is a great thread especially for new growers like me i had a plant get pounded by rain for to many days and it snapped it of at the base if the stalk the plant died so i dug up the dirt just to see what might be down there and it was LOADED with spring tails and i just had to check this thread out for a second time to see what the hell they were I'm glad to read they are not to bad to have but just to be sure these guys are not harmful to my plants right?
Seamaiden
Living dead girl
- 23,596
- 638
Nope, not usually.
We Solidarity
- 1,610
- 263
Hey guys - figured this thread was ready for some updates.
First, let's start with the bad.
I finally found some spider mites to photograph. These come from a space that is kept religiously clean, but unfortunately there is a HUGE stash of railroad ties near the location that are a really hardcore vector for the mites. They swarm in through holes in the wall, and can make webs overnight.
Two-Spotted Spider Mites
Spider mites belong to the mite family tetranychidae and are found worldwide. They are one of the most common pests to crops and will infect hundreds of species of plants. Mites hatch from eggs in about 3 days, and are sexually reproductive in five days. A single female can lay over 20 eggs a day, and live for up to a month, laying eggs every day. It is no problem for a single mite to start a population in a short time - mite populations grow exponentially and must be dealt with in extreme urgency. Spider Mites, thanks to their extremely fast reproductive cycle, can become resistant to chemical treatments very quickly, making the use of pesticides as a control ineffective. The only established controls for Spider Mites are cleanliness, foliar sulphur applications (through wettable or vaporized/burned), as well as essential oils (castor, neem, cinnamon, peppermint, lemongrass, hempseed, and fish oil are all used effectively as controls). Predatory mites can also be used to control established populations, but just like mites, they pose the risk of "bugging up" flowers.
Here's an example of spider mite damage on a veg plant. Notice how the bites look like little dots - these are very easy to mistake for thrip feeding welts. Spider Mite bites will not leave trails, they only exist as tiny dots on the leaf surface.
and an example of spider mite "webbing" in veg -
last but not least, here are some spider mites. This is well-formed web usually takes a few days to develop, but these showed up overnight. If you see this in your garden do not waste time - get it out of there. Trying to save the area where mites are colonizing can cost you not only the current crop but every crop after it. These are not a pest to fight - these are a pest to eradicate.
A few close-ups to identify mites and eggs (also visible). Notice the different stages of mites. The mature ones are a darker yellow with two black dots on the body.
First, let's start with the bad.
I finally found some spider mites to photograph. These come from a space that is kept religiously clean, but unfortunately there is a HUGE stash of railroad ties near the location that are a really hardcore vector for the mites. They swarm in through holes in the wall, and can make webs overnight.
Two-Spotted Spider Mites
Spider mites belong to the mite family tetranychidae and are found worldwide. They are one of the most common pests to crops and will infect hundreds of species of plants. Mites hatch from eggs in about 3 days, and are sexually reproductive in five days. A single female can lay over 20 eggs a day, and live for up to a month, laying eggs every day. It is no problem for a single mite to start a population in a short time - mite populations grow exponentially and must be dealt with in extreme urgency. Spider Mites, thanks to their extremely fast reproductive cycle, can become resistant to chemical treatments very quickly, making the use of pesticides as a control ineffective. The only established controls for Spider Mites are cleanliness, foliar sulphur applications (through wettable or vaporized/burned), as well as essential oils (castor, neem, cinnamon, peppermint, lemongrass, hempseed, and fish oil are all used effectively as controls). Predatory mites can also be used to control established populations, but just like mites, they pose the risk of "bugging up" flowers.
Here's an example of spider mite damage on a veg plant. Notice how the bites look like little dots - these are very easy to mistake for thrip feeding welts. Spider Mite bites will not leave trails, they only exist as tiny dots on the leaf surface.
and an example of spider mite "webbing" in veg -
last but not least, here are some spider mites. This is well-formed web usually takes a few days to develop, but these showed up overnight. If you see this in your garden do not waste time - get it out of there. Trying to save the area where mites are colonizing can cost you not only the current crop but every crop after it. These are not a pest to fight - these are a pest to eradicate.
A few close-ups to identify mites and eggs (also visible). Notice the different stages of mites. The mature ones are a darker yellow with two black dots on the body.
We Solidarity
- 1,610
- 263
Hypoaspis Miles - the garden boss
Hypoaspis mites are your friends. If you see these guys in your soil - do not worry, they are there to help.
Predators of thrips, fungus gnats, springtails, and occasionally young root aphids (if the aphids are eating a diet that restricts them from producing toxins), Hypoaspis live in the top inch of soil, migrating lower as the soil dries out. Find them after watering, or by scratching the soil surface to the moisture level. They are extremely small - about the size of an immature root aphid. They can eat up to 5 bugs a day, and reproduce in the soil very quickly, with only 11 days past from egg to mature mite. If no prey is present in the soil mites will feed on fungus and decaying organic material - the same thing fungus gnat larvae love to eat. These mites are the single best preventative for fungus gnats and make an excellent addition to any garden. I'm currently working on a way to culture and breed the mites so that I can apply them at transplant to every pot I fill.
Here you can see the Hypoaspis mite on the piece of perilite. For reference, this is medium-coarse perilite. These mites are SMALL. Notice the wing a little below the mite - mmm breakfast :)
These mites are scurrying around on the lip of a 15 gallon pot. The black edge is the corner of the lip of the pot.
Hypoaspis mites are your friends. If you see these guys in your soil - do not worry, they are there to help.
Predators of thrips, fungus gnats, springtails, and occasionally young root aphids (if the aphids are eating a diet that restricts them from producing toxins), Hypoaspis live in the top inch of soil, migrating lower as the soil dries out. Find them after watering, or by scratching the soil surface to the moisture level. They are extremely small - about the size of an immature root aphid. They can eat up to 5 bugs a day, and reproduce in the soil very quickly, with only 11 days past from egg to mature mite. If no prey is present in the soil mites will feed on fungus and decaying organic material - the same thing fungus gnat larvae love to eat. These mites are the single best preventative for fungus gnats and make an excellent addition to any garden. I'm currently working on a way to culture and breed the mites so that I can apply them at transplant to every pot I fill.
Here you can see the Hypoaspis mite on the piece of perilite. For reference, this is medium-coarse perilite. These mites are SMALL. Notice the wing a little below the mite - mmm breakfast :)
These mites are scurrying around on the lip of a 15 gallon pot. The black edge is the corner of the lip of the pot.
aSilvrHaze
- 379
- 43
Two spotted mite.
K
kingmet52
- 4
- 1
Met52 is available in both granular and liquid form for controlling RA and many other pests. Non-systemic and fungus based it is easy and safe to use on your grow. You can contact me at [email protected] if you would like to know more.
EveryOneSmokes
- 1,892
- 263
WS, nice pics u got a good documentation going on .. Very good info..
motiv303
Amputating Fakeness
Supporter
- 1,512
- 263
Great thread We Solidarity, excellent photography & great info too. Good schtuff man!
Had to drop a lil nuclear action on my fungus gnat & thrip population in veg this AM. Haha, I love the smell of napalm in the morning :)
Peace man, be well! Motiv
Had to drop a lil nuclear action on my fungus gnat & thrip population in veg this AM. Haha, I love the smell of napalm in the morning :)
Peace man, be well! Motiv
eastcoastseeds
- 158
- 63
russet mites? any pics of the damage they cause?
PaperStreet
- 1,149
- 263
I have to ask what a couple of you pros would do at this point.
Been involved in a complete and total whitefly(aka flying aphid) infestation.
Literally i lost a whole crop to larvae/leaf damage as well as a complete harvest to thru brown fungus they carry and promote.
Maybe ill get flamed for this idk but i spraid with organics for a few weeks includeing azamax and sns303 and i gotta tell anyone with a whitefly infestation do not bother with those all it did was seem to piss them off and make them want to breed more.
That being said and i know it sucks believe me i didnt want to but Bayer 3in1 foliar spray(mite,fungus and disease theres a bunch of them this is what i used) is the only thing i have found that they dont like at this time i have zero fliers. My infestion was so bad i had to do a complete clean up and spray everything includeing shakeing the plants and getting the flyers in flight.
Its nice to have a small light on in the room as they are attracted to lamp and easy to get..
So yea bayer3in1 works and works well for the fliers!
That being said i know its systemic and hopeing enuff saoked the fans to for the larvae that eat on the underside of the fans i HOPE... Getting to my question here...
What would u do at this point? Like i said i have no fliers at this time..
However, i do have a bunch of fan leaves on a few plants that are all waxxy that i know for sure have larvae damage hence the wet sheen/look to the fan leaves..
Should i remove these waxxy fan leaves?
I do not want to as the plants in question are next months harvest and just barely started setting nuggz i cant lose this crop or ill be takeing a break for a while considering the last 2 harvests have been on me and that hurts considering my elec bill is 1200 as it is feel me?
Idk what to do at this point i cant afford to lose anymore tho.
Any input will be apprechiated and considered.
Peace
Been involved in a complete and total whitefly(aka flying aphid) infestation.
Literally i lost a whole crop to larvae/leaf damage as well as a complete harvest to thru brown fungus they carry and promote.
Maybe ill get flamed for this idk but i spraid with organics for a few weeks includeing azamax and sns303 and i gotta tell anyone with a whitefly infestation do not bother with those all it did was seem to piss them off and make them want to breed more.
That being said and i know it sucks believe me i didnt want to but Bayer 3in1 foliar spray(mite,fungus and disease theres a bunch of them this is what i used) is the only thing i have found that they dont like at this time i have zero fliers. My infestion was so bad i had to do a complete clean up and spray everything includeing shakeing the plants and getting the flyers in flight.
Its nice to have a small light on in the room as they are attracted to lamp and easy to get..
So yea bayer3in1 works and works well for the fliers!
That being said i know its systemic and hopeing enuff saoked the fans to for the larvae that eat on the underside of the fans i HOPE... Getting to my question here...
What would u do at this point? Like i said i have no fliers at this time..
However, i do have a bunch of fan leaves on a few plants that are all waxxy that i know for sure have larvae damage hence the wet sheen/look to the fan leaves..
Should i remove these waxxy fan leaves?
I do not want to as the plants in question are next months harvest and just barely started setting nuggz i cant lose this crop or ill be takeing a break for a while considering the last 2 harvests have been on me and that hurts considering my elec bill is 1200 as it is feel me?
Idk what to do at this point i cant afford to lose anymore tho.
Any input will be apprechiated and considered.
Peace
altitudefarmer
- 3,271
- 263
bump. Anyone had a serious whitefly invasion?
Seamaiden
Living dead girl
- 23,596
- 638
PaperStreet, have you tried using predator bugs to fight them?
Ok, so I'm on Arbico Organics' webpage, and they've got a list of predators and products for dealing with whiteflies. One of the products (I didn't remember this) is JMS Stylet oil.
http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/pest-solver-guide-whitefly/46
Ok, so I'm on Arbico Organics' webpage, and they've got a list of predators and products for dealing with whiteflies. One of the products (I didn't remember this) is JMS Stylet oil.
http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/pest-solver-guide-whitefly/46
We Solidarity
- 1,610
- 263
You don't really want to be spraying anything but neem on whiteflies, they're nearly impossible to kill with sprays since they live on the underside of leaves and have such fast life cycles. Whiteflies evolve past insecticides in a matter of generations, meaning most of the sprays you use on other bugs are typically ineffective.
The most effective way to get rid of them is to remove the most populated leaves and put up sticky traps. Also try adding more silica to your feed and more air circulation mid-canopy.
The most effective way to get rid of them is to remove the most populated leaves and put up sticky traps. Also try adding more silica to your feed and more air circulation mid-canopy.
OctoberDee
- 785
- 93
Insecticidal soap for days will kill whiteflies and wipe them out mostly, I use EarthTone (potassium salts of fatty acid), I mix it with SNS and apple cider vinegar. You still gotta control them for a week or two afterwards but they won't make a comeback unless you let them. I drench the plants top to bottom and shake out the flyers, I spray those fuckers too, in mid air even. I haven't seen a strong comeback and that was months ago.
BrianDirt
- 244
- 43
Opps friendly fire and got a few critters after watering thinking they were tangos! The clicker bugs and other crawlers.
Seamaiden
Living dead girl
- 23,596
- 638
Uhhh.... Whiskey tangos?
BrianDirt
- 244
- 43
I Think these are the good flippers I get after watering.
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