Spider mites AKA The Borg

[Robney]

Citric Acid is the active ingredient so its worth a try. I have brought all the plants in flower down. So I have the opportunity to try different things now.

Thanks for the advice.

Excellent. Do give it a try, and make sure to mix for the strong application rate. Cover 100% till they are dripping wet. Apply every 2-3 days for a 2-3 weeks. The eggs will hatch every 2-3 days so it's important to keep doing it every 2-3 days to catch any newly hatched ones.

I hope you are successful!

 

[hamstring]

Been a while but I'm back with good news and I hope it helps the IC Mag community.

I finally found the magic elixer. I’m sure there are other ways but this one is very easy to use and inexpensive. Maybe $30.00 total.

This is not for anyone flowering or even for a large veg crop. This is the last chance train to keep your favorite strains. It is also great for clones you just purchased and have in isolation. Would it work for a large plant yes, but in my experience its almost impossible to spray every nook and cranny on a large plant. You are going to miss one spider mite or egg and that all it takes to start another infestation.

What I did was defoliate my large mother plants down to just a few leaves on the top and then I was able to make sure I had complete coverage. I then sprayed them and took clones after they were clean. I am spraying the clones also.

I know there will be a lot on nonbelievers and I was one of them. I had sprayed a similar mixture before and using my USB microscope saw them crawling around after it had dried on the leaves. Not this time. It seems to kill eggs , and adults alike. It may take a couple of sprays but thats because you are more than likely going to miss some the first time. Follow the instructions ( exactly) on the below link and you will be very happy. One note its next to impossible to find 1% peroxide but I just used 3% and it did not harm my plants in the least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej-NJjEJJ6U

 

[Sub24ox7]

So I found a few mites on my plants in my hall grow room sigh. Haven’t had any mites in a long time I just absolutely hate spider mites. Will spray the plants off with a water hose and then I will try a multi pronged approach as it only takes one mite to make more eggs. Wish they were easier to get rid of.

 

[CannaRed]

I was so happy to hear all the praise for Marrone Bio Science Venerate and Grandevo. But it seems that the mites develop a tolerance to them.
it definitely keeps the numbers down but never seems to completely kill them.
Past 3 weeks, I've been spraying , Venerate and Regalia, Grandevo and Regalia, Capt Jack's Spinosad, and Doctor Zymes with Transport.
All but the Zymes and Transport have yucca extract added.
I try to alternate with a different spray each time, and I spray every two to thretodays on the veg plants, sometimes every day.

I've also noticed a different type of spider mite.
I'm used to the two spotted spider mite. It's usually clearish to reddish to brown and hang out on bottom sides of the leaves, unless therr is infestation to point of webbing
The new mites I've noticed are darker. Maybe even black, and I actually see them on top of the leaves sometimes. I've seen them have webbing in valley of the vein on topside of the leave fingers, when they aren't in high numbers.
I believe they came into my grow when I got my kratom plants.

 

[hamstring]

I have personally witnessed mites tolerance to some of the well known miticides . I was surprised to see how well the below more natural approach worked. Its very inexpensive and I recommend trying it. I saw it with my own eyes. It killed all of the adults instantly and I checked days later and none of the eggs had hatched. I'm not claiming to be a scientist but because of the multi-ingredients and the way it attacks its hard for the mites to build a tolerance to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej-NJjEJJ6U

 

[jackspratt61]

From Slownickel...use calcium hydroxide in water at ph 11. Let settle and spray the clear liquid. Follow up with a light vinegar at 3-3.5 ph

Works well.

 

[Ca++]

Is he using a wetting agent with that ?
I have not tried a pH swing. Just wetting agent drowns them though. No need for anything else, unless it's too late into flower to soak them properly every few days.

 

[jackspratt61]

Is he using a wetting agent with that ?
I have not tried a pH swing. Just wetting agent drowns them though. No need for anything else, unless it's too late into flower to soak them properly every few days.

Not that I'm aware of

 

[St. Phatty]

It's not all bad. They do contain protein.
What if it was found that growing spider mites was the best way to obtain protein for long space flights ?
Just have to mix it with mayonnaise & barbecue sauce.

Only problem is ... getting mayonnaise & barbecue sauce in deep space.

 

[Ca++]

I got you covered Phatty. You can smother the Borg in Fusarium mold. It's a fat substitute grown in vats and sold to vegans as baby mushroom puree.

Mycoprotein

Mycoprotein is a high quality meat-free protein perfect for those on a vegetarian, plant-based or vegan diet or looking to reduce their meat consumption. Find out here.

www.quorn.us

 

[hamstring]

Its been almost a year since i got rid of my mite problem. Took 6 months to make it happen.

Well I came back on to say I have found a mite in my flower room. I am hyper sensitive about mites and anytime I see a leaf with dappled white spots on top I am quick to use my USB scope to see whats going on. Every other time its been nothing but this time it was a mite.
The mite/s either came from the soil or from me bringing them in the garden. I have a veggy garden and large flower bed so I could have brought it in. I am also using a new bagged super soil. Either way the reason for the post is to remind everyone always stay vigilant.

I am 30 days from harvest. I checked and didn't see any other signs on the leaves but there is never just one mite, never. So after harvest a complete tear down and room cleaning. I sprayed all my small moms and will keep spraying every week or so until I harvest. Different room but I interact with both the moms and flowering plants on a daily basis. No reason to suspect that they aren't infected too.

RH is higher in the summer so mites reproduce much slower . At least I have that going for me. My original infestation was in the dry winter months and they blew up in my flower room.

Good luck and stay safe---

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

I get the same results with only iso, water and a surfactant. No need for the other bottled stuffs, but maybe for nonmite issues.

 

[Ca++]

Why iso?
It's generally used for shelf life.

Editing much time later, as I meant to say h2o2, but nay matter

 

[hamstring]

DC AND CA++

Hey guys thats not me if thats what you are thinking. Its a you tuber I found when looking for miticide. All the big box store stuff doesn't work. Mites have built a tolerance to to it. I actually did a a lot of research before just happening on this guys video.

I did try a mixture of ISO, water and soap. I actually sprayed it on an infected leaf watched under my scope and as the stuff dried on the leaf the mites just stood up, gave me the finger, and kept on trucking. I watched it with my own eyes and a USB scope. I'm not sure how any one can fight them with out the scope. Sure it killed some, I would be lying to say it didn't kill some but I saw some of them go right back to eating their diner.

This dudes concoction really works and don't forget about the hydrogen peroxide. This method kills eggs and adults. Again watched it under my scope. My own personal theroy is because it takes a multi miticide approach. Tea Tree oil, Iso, hydrogen peroxide. It doesn't rely on one substance to kill them. Just a theory though.

I'm not saying there aren't big pharma or big AG stuff that doesn't work but its pricy and can be toxic to humans. What I learned from the whole experience is you cant save a whole crop in full veg or flower. You have to lower your expectations and try and save your strains. RH matters and and keeping a close eyes on your plants matter.

I'm still learning because I never thought I would drag these bastards in on me from outside. I really think that happened but I cant rule out bagged super soil either but I have been growing in it for over a month and this was my first time seeing a mite.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Mites react very negatively to isopropyl alcohol. One ounce of 70%+ iso in a gallon of water will kill any mite or mite egg and also dissolves webs. Also evaporates quickly. I use a surfactant so it spreads on the leaf instead of rolling off.
The key is to thoroughly drench the plant every 3 days for 5 treatments. Stops the breeding cycle completely.

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL ALSO KILLS ROOTS IT TOUCHES. You've been warned.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Yes... that is complete mite eradication in 15 days, as long as the original source of infection was identified and eliminated.

I've received mites from many growers the last 15 years, including many 'resistant' strains of mites. They all died the same way... treated every three days for 5 treatments. BANG! GONE! Until the next time I accepted cuts or multiple visits from infected growers. Have not seen a mite in a few years now.

 

[Ca++]

My last post was a bit of a brain fart. I meant to say h2o2 is used for shelf life.

It's interesting I drown them with just a surfactant, but adding iso stopped this. I must be drowning them that little bit longer, without the iso increasing the evaporation rate.

We call resistant mites 'greenhouse mites' as a nod to where they are from. Seems little reference to this in searches. Catching mites was always a question of greenhouse or not. Not being mites that would die easier. Likely from the wild, not these greenhouse fuckers that have likely learned to use tools, and made there own PPE.

 

[hamstring]

My last post was a bit of a brain fart. I meant to say h2o2 is used for shelf life.

It's interesting I drown them with just a surfactant, but adding iso stopped this. I must be drowning them that little bit longer, without the iso increasing the evaporation rate.

We call resistant mites 'greenhouse mites' as a nod to where they are from. Seems little reference to this in searches. Catching mites was always a question of greenhouse or not. Not being mites that would die easier. Likely from the wild, not these greenhouse fuckers that have likely learned to use tools, and made there own PPE.

Nice post, they are learning to use tools. hehehe.

It reminds me of something I did while trying to eradicate my mites during flower, but the beginning of flower. I used diatomaceous earth. I put that powder all over my plants. Within few days the mites had put webs all over my whole grow room.
Wasn't a single web anywhere until I used diatomaceous earth. These farkers were using webs to move around the grow room with out getting onto the diatomaceous earth. I was sure i saw hard hats and shovels in some of their hands. I think some of them had unionized.

 

[jackspratt61]

Nutrition Management for Mite Infestations -AEA AG YouTube

 

[hamstring]

Nutrition Management for Mite Infestations -AEA AG YouTube