Leaf damage, what bug?

[real ting]

Something is tearing little rips in the leaves. No bugs have been found after a thorough search of the plants, but the damage is pretty obvious. There were a few small pieces leaf on top of the medium, as if whatever is biting the tears in the leaves is not eating much of them. It doesn't look like spider mite damage, or anything else I can identify. The other day I clapped a small flying bug, it was too smooshed to identify, but it was smaller than a mosquito and bigger than a spider mite. Haven't sen any more flying around since.

It's not terrible right now, most leaves are not affected, but it is getting worse.

All the plants have roughly equal amounts of damage, they are all clones off the same DJ short blueberry mother. They were recently transplanted into coco hempy buckets, filled with botanicare cocogro. Broken mosquito dunks (BTI) were sprinkled on top a few days after potting.

Ignore any leaves that look like they were completely ripped off, the first couple days the ends of leaves that showed damage got ripped off so as to be able to identify new damage.

Thanks and good vibes to all.

What do you all think is causing this damage?

 

[HillBillMt]

outside ??
id almost lean torwards a hopper

 

[frikn squirrel]

I've got the exact same problem and I'm indoors... hope someone else chimes in!

 

[real ting]

outside ??
id almost lean torwards a hopper

Nope, indoor.

 

[bromhexine]

turn the fans off get a mag lense and do an inspection. looks like thrips or aphids. maybe even slugs!

 

[real ting]

Well I've done quite a bit of searching, and some research, and put some thought into the issue.

HAS ANYONE SEEN BUGS THAT DO LEAF DAMAGE SIMILAR TO THIS BEFORE?

I found more flying fungus gnat like bugs, thing is it could also possibly be winged root aphids.

But I haven't found reference to either of them putting damage into the leaves like you see in my post. The only place I've seen anything similar is in posts where people are wondering if they have some sort of virus. I'm not sure about that, I'm still leaning towards a bug of some sort, but there have been new symptoms.

In the last few days I've noticed more of the leaves towards the top of the plants turning a darker green, looking a little more waxy, and getting a wrinkled appearance. A couple of them the edges of the leaves are actually curling down on themselves, heading towards a tube shape.

I will take photos tonight. I'm thinking this new development is either a magnesium issue(possible root aphids), dj short leaf mutations, or in the worst case scenario some sort of virus.

One of the pictures from above particularly reminded me of what others had on their plants, and thought were symptoms of a virus. The fact that a lot of the leaves are curving to the side is a bit of a problem also.

 

[GRINKEEEPER]

sorry I cant help, but I have had this happen to me as well and Im intrested to see if there is any advice posted..

I really hope its not mosiac virus...

 

[crippled1]

Do you have any sticky traps in canopy?
If you do have aphids or gnats, the real problem these little fuckers make is the babies in the rootzone.
You could do a good watering and make sure nothing comes crawling/flying out of your medium.

 

[Tommy Trichome]

Well I've done quite a bit of searching, and some research, and put some thought into the issue.

HAS ANYONE SEEN BUGS THAT DO LEAF DAMAGE SIMILAR TO THIS BEFORE?

I found more flying fungus gnat like bugs, thing is it could also possibly be winged root aphids.

But I haven't found reference to either of them putting damage into the leaves like you see in my post. The only place I've seen anything similar is in posts where people are wondering if they have some sort of virus. I'm not sure about that, I'm still leaning towards a bug of some sort, but there have been new symptoms.

In the last few days I've noticed more of the leaves towards the top of the plants turning a darker green, looking a little more waxy, and getting a wrinkled appearance. A couple of them the edges of the leaves are actually curling down on themselves, heading towards a tube shape.

I will take photos tonight. I'm thinking this new development is either a magnesium issue(possible root aphids), dj short leaf mutations, or in the worst case scenario some sort of virus.

One of the pictures from above particularly reminded me of what others had on their plants, and thought were symptoms of a virus. The fact that a lot of the leaves are curving to the side is a bit of a problem also.

The pics in the first post kinda resemble some thrip damage I once had (tears in the leaves).. but this last pic definitely looks like thrip damage to me.. they're a pain in the ass to get rid of once they've set in and the only sure fire solution I've found is to *thoroughly* disinfect and bug bomb your room between cycles. You also need to isolate and dip any clones before they're brought into your newly disinfected environment...

 

[real ting]

The plan now is to treat for root aphids (imidacloporid) and hope that helps.

However that still doesn't cover whatever is biting the leaves. I'm gonna keep on the lookout. It is not a huge amount of leaves that are affected, but I want to figure it out before going into flowering, because if it gets worse in flowering theres not very many options.

 

[real ting]

My current theory is either some sort of bacterial infection, or a fungal infection. I am going to hit them with eagle 20ew, which is a pretty potent fungicide.

The only bugs I've found anywhere near them have been one moth, fungus gnats, and root aphids (whatever those actually are). Still have not seen any bug damage that looks similar in searches on the web. The only pictures that look anything like it were in a virus thread, but I think they were there mistakenly.

Please, if anyone has dealt with similar damage before let me know.

 

[GanjaPharma]

imid drench/ soak is a good option since you are in veg still, and will kill root aphids (wingless winged, tiny , red assed...wtf is up with root aphids?) also, if its thrips the imid will knock em out too (there ARE resistant thrips though) and will kill fungus gnats as well. pour the waste into the toilet, its quickly transported into groundwater if you pour it onto the ground.
i do think its thrips though,,,the little tears are a giveaway. no "silvery" trail on leaves?

 

[real ting]

Nope, no silvery trails. There is also leaf blistering / wrinkle leaf, necrotic leaves lower down on the plant, I will get pictures of it soon. Used imid for a second time at a high dose, 5 days later still seeing small white crawler root aphids.