Root Aphids, Fungus Gnats, and other fun bugs (ID PICS)

[Shegrows]

Root gnats

 

[Quagmire]

The Gnatrol WDG I bought at Amazon also.. I, like many of you had tried so many different things over the years I didn't want to commit to much $ until I knew what was what.. so I bought this small bag of it for $2.88, actually the freight was more and of course where they make the majority of their cash.. Using 2 tsp per gallon of water, repeat in 3 days, I swear they were pretty much gone.. had them so bad when I watered they'd run all across the top of the soil and I was using Roots Organic Mix which does have perlite in it.. but I had these things bad when I ran 100% coco.. I've also noticed when the plants start budding and putting off more odor is when they really start showing up.. I hit them last night with some preventative measures at 1/4 tsp per half gallon.. so far I've seen just 1 or 2 and I'm still using the recycled soil with some new added and trust me when I say that soil was infested by harvest time something fierce.. I am sold on this product and remember, sticky traps is a good 2nd defense to catch them flyers.. and to make your own cheap.. Use yellow sticky note pads, smear some Vaseline on one side.. what I do is use popsicle sticks and just put 2 of them together using the sticky part to trap them onto the stick.. smear Vaseline on both exposed sides and stick the thing in the soil... walla. It's actually the yellow color that attracts them to it and the Vaseline makes it so they cannot take off... hehe.

 

[Seamaiden]

Now for the root gnats, they ARE STILL THERE. I have 3 inches of perlight on all my pots, and the gnats appear to be enjoy it! As they are choosing the pots with perlight OVER the plants without. They DO harm my moms bc they're young. Once they get a good root system they can handle the buggers. But who's had luck keeping these stupid, gross, nasty gnats out! My HM must be on overload!!!

Ah! Root gnats. I have not found the perlite sandwich thing to work. You know what has? Putting pantyhose (knee highs, actually) around the pots. I can't do that for certain seedling set-ups, unfortunately, so I've ordered the Gnatrol as a LAST DITCH effort. They have killed all but one of my CSI seedlings, most couldn't even emerge. The money I spent on the nematodes I feel was entirely wasted (I did scope them, they're alive and they *are* killing fungus gnats, but I can't keep them watered in enough to deal with the population). I've actually lost count of all the (expensive!) seedlings they've killed. I am THIS CLOSE to going the chemical route, swear to God.


I've gotta say that I'm getting extremely annoyed with people who tell me so flippantly that FGs are easy to eradicate, they're not a problem, I'm doing something wrong, etc. They treat me as though I haven't a clue about control, when I begin my conversation with them by saying, "I've studied the UC Davis IPM program inside and out, and have used every one of the organic methods discussed that I have found." (Like I said previously, Gnatrol WDG is the one thing I have not tried.)

This is not directed at you or anyone here, it's just a rant.

and to make your own cheap.. Use yellow sticky note pads, smear some Vaseline on one side.. what I do is use popsicle sticks and just put 2 of them together using the sticky part to trap them onto the stick.. smear Vaseline on both exposed sides and stick the thing in the soil... walla. It's actually the yellow color that attracts them to it and the Vaseline makes it so they cannot take off... hehe.

Fuckin' ACE! I've got yellow notepads at my disposal. No popsicle sticks, but I live in the fucking woods, I think I can find some sticks. I LOVE money-saving ideas!

 

[Quagmire]

no doubt, when I read that too I was like.. well duh uh? You could even just stick them on the inside of the pots too.. but the one thing I found works on a bad infestation was the Gnatrol WDG granules.. looks like there is a few different styles of it and not used the others.. here is what I bought at Amazon..

 

[Shegrows]

So... After seeing my little nasty pests start exploding once again in numbers I bit the bullet and went to my hydro store and bought Azamax. I meant to get Azatrol as its owned by a different company not GH that sold out to Monsanto. Any how I haven't brought myself to actually use it, but I feel better knowing I can if it gets nuts! I also got Gnatrol the sand stuff that shreds their bodies to bits after applied in inches to the top layer of soil. My RG look like soil lice. They are stupid and big! Like big pregnant RG! So Azamax might be my only solution as it causes the nasty things to starve to death! My plants took a hit with the pyganic which seems to always burn my GSC:( So I'm watering in Oraca and letting them recover! :(

 

[Shegrows]

Anyone have good or bad reviews/experience using azamax? At what rate did you use it? And did it burn your plants? Did it even kill the flying Devils?

 

[Seamaiden]

I've never tried it for fungus gnats due to expense and the fact that my problem is permanent. I just received the Gnatrol on Tuesday, am waiting for the soil to dry out enough to begin using it.

 

[Shegrows]

Yes at Seamaiden you are 100% correct about cost! I paid 80.00? Something like that. I had just used Pyganic which in the past I've had 0 luck with for Root Gnats... But I was actually patient this time and didn't start dragging my plants outside when I didn't see instant results. I bought the Azamax but didn't/haven't used it as the Pyganic actually knocked them down almost out... For now. Only downside... It burnt my GSC :( but no gnats.... For now:)

 

[Shegrows]

And I'm using that sand stuff today on my GSC bc they are sensitive girls! They REALLY hate sprays/oil based Neems/ect. Since they are my biggest $ makers I have put new moms in smart pots, with pro mix (mixed with worm castings & my own organic additives), and am putting gnatrol or what ever that sand is over the soil in 2 inches deep. No water holes in smart pots for RG to get in.. So I'm hoping this helps!
My Blue Dream will drink Neem, Pyganic, anything and still throw off new growth.
Can I just say out of the 50 or so strains I've collected and worked with REAL blue dream is the most vigorous, bushiest, fastest growing, easy to clone, tops ALL the rest!
What a good strain! Why is it the most difficult to grow/veg/feed/flower/ is always what is most sought after... Like my Crippler for example.

 

[KiLoEleMeNt]

Best advice I have ever gotten for bugs was @Seamaiden When She Told Me Use Iso Alcohol I Use 92% At Half Cup To A Gallon as an open spray And That Has Eradicated All Of My Bug Issues But I Also use Sns Systemic blue label in conjunction with it and that has been a huge help also my garden has almost become maintenance free all but rez swap and lollipops good luck with your spring time gardens

 

[covertchem]

Hey everybody! Hope this helps ID problems with some common garden pests and critters.

Root Aphids (Aphidoidea)

"Root Aphid" is a broad term describing an unknown number of species of aphids that can attack crop roots. They are most commonly seen outdoors, where they feed on leaves of plants and overwinter either as a dormant egg or as a colony feeding on stored sugars/starches in plant roots. Indoors they are common pests due to the concentration of sugars, amino acids, and nutrients in the roots. Aphid eggs are sought after by some species of ants, who will nurture a colony of aphids to feed on their sugar and nutrient rich excrement. A common misunderstanding is the referencing of Root Aphids to phylloxera, which is another family of insects that is very similar to aphids but lacks the telltale "tailpipes" and "honeydew" discharge that distinguishes aphids.

here are some pictures of root aphids in their winged or "flier" form

View attachment 301449View attachment 301452
you can see by these images that the winged aphid holds it's wings parallel and vertical, at the sides of it's body. It's head is similar sized to the rest of the body, and it's abdomen is either green, yellow, brown/red, or black depending on diet. It's legs are also all of a similar size (male aphids can have quite long legs, however). Immature aphids can also be seen in the bottom picture.

"crawler" form:

View attachment 301448
Notice the "tailpipes" (cornicles) on the abdomen of the aphid. These protect it when it feels threatened by producing a hard, waxlike substance that coats the aphid's exterior. This aphid was unique in that it displayed many of the common colors of root aphids. Depending on what they feed on and their maturity aphids can be any shade of either yellow, green, or red, and occasionally black/brown.

an example of aphid colonization/infestation

View attachment 301447

View attachment 301446





Fungus Gnats (Mycetophiloidea)

Fungus gnats are generally obnoxious because they get stuck in flowers in large numbers. Since their larva eat decaying matter, a growing population of fungus gnats generally indicates either over-watered plants/over saturated media, or an unhealthy root mass. Females will travel from pot to pot looking for optimum conditions to lay eggs. Females lay eggs in the top 2-3 inches of soil and can lay up to 200 in her 10 day life. Both the eggs and the larvae are very cold resistant, but cannot survive without a moist environment. It is recommended to let the top 2-3 inches of soil dry out between waterings in most media to avoid fungus gnats, especially late in flower.

Fungus Gnat flier:

View attachment 301450

View attachment 301451
You can see that fungus gnats have three definitive body segments, very long legs, and wings that overlap and fold flat over it's abdomen. They are generally much larger than winged root aphids.

Fungus Gnat larvae

View attachment 301453View attachment 301454 The brown inside this guy is whatever he's been eating...probably roots as this picture was taken very late in flush. Normally they are clear like the section directly before his head. You can see his black head as well as his body segments, very similar to a caterpillar or inchworm.


And last but not least, a beneficial insect, the springtail

View attachment 301444

these guys resemble thrips, but are very small, clear, and can dart away quite quickly. Usually found in the runoff of pots after watering, having a springtail population isn't something to worry about. It is a sign that the soil biosphere (the rhizosphere) is balanced and in check. Springtails are known to eat spores and mycelia of pathogenic fungi that can cause damping off, as well as carry mycorhizzal fungi to root hosts, and control other forms of microlife that become imbalanced or disrupt the rhizosphere. Springtails are estimated to have some of the highest populations of any animals on earth, and play an important role in soil conditioning.
View attachment 301445
Springtails are nice to eachother, they know what's up. They're you're friends, too!


That's all for now folks, thanks for lookin!

Plz send pic of spring tail

 

[happylittle]

Everytime i transplant in soil i add mosquito bits to keep fungus gnats away. Its a basilus thurengesis or somthing like that. Keeps them away and never damage to the plants. Safe for pets and humans to. Also available in a liquid from gnatrol for bad infestations.

 

[Shegrows]

Achool doesn't burn plants?

 

[KiLoEleMeNt]

Surprisingly no nit at all nor does it affect buds in moderation I asked the same question

 

[Shegrows]

Great to know! Thanks!

 

[FooDoo]

I used some roots organic soil to pop some seeds and noticed some little mite type insects crawling around the top of the soil and around the rim of the solo cups.

Neem oil doesn't kill them unfortunately. What else can I use?

I'm able to smash them with my finger tip. I have a super unfocused blurry pic of one that crawled onto my finger.

What can these be and how can I kill them? They don't crawl onto the plants and I really don't think... Well I guess I should say I really hope they aren't spider mites that hitched a ride in the roots organic bag

 

[FooDoo]

After some digging im thinking they are Hypoaspis miles and beneficial mites. However I do not want them or need them. I keep trying to search for something that kills them but no luck

 

[Seamaiden]

Honestly, I think that if you focus on that you're likely going to end up causing yourself more headaches. In my opinion, it's part of the "ain't broke" bits and thus needs no fixing.

 

[FooDoo]

I've decided I'm too ocd for soil grows lol. My cups of ghost og x urkle have fungus gnats in black gold and the cups of my wicked queen have predatory mites in roots organic original soil.

Soon as they're big enough to take cuts off I'll be switching to coco

 

[Kygiacomo]

the Sns209 is what u use? i have some that now but havent tried it. i been having some sort of damage on 1 of my church strains. i think its leaf hoppers since i have killed a few that was on that plant. i wonder if this would be a good treatment for them?