Anyone ever try high PPM CO2 for killing spider mites?

igrowone · Aug 21, 2018

Iffy said:
I would go with Mr Greengenes and whole-plant dunk them if you don't want to spray them but I would and I would use this;

1 oz Peppermint Oil
1 oz Rosemary Oil
2 oz Neem Oil
...

i have fought the borg in flower, and killed them all
used a similar formulation, contained rosemary, peppermint, clove, and another that slips the mind
wasn't easy, repeat spray, and repeat, these are oils you could spray on a salad
what do commercial greenhouses do? they get these little fuckers regular
food grade horticultural oil, cheap and available
coats them and they suffocate, they can not become immune to not breathing

Gry · Aug 21, 2018

This has all the makings of a truly epic thread.

Ringodoggie · Aug 21, 2018

I just released 4000 predatory mites.

I don't use only persimilis. The requirements on temperature and humidity to keep them alive are too demanding. I use a mix of 4 mites...

P. persimilis, N. californicus, A. cucumeris and A.swirskii

Hopefully, this will help with the survival rate.

Wanna see a battle between them.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvDnvbAQMvY&feature=youtu.be

EDIT: Oops. wrong video. Here is the battle scene....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YFJ16ufZSE&t=36s

For a predator mite, they sure got their butt kicked by the 2-spotted. I saw ONE battle in 15 minutes, and the predator lost. The 2-spotted walked away after a first round K.O. You could see stars around the Persimilis head like a cartoon.

Holy cow!!! Are these mites supposed to be aggressive?

The video is kind of long (15 minutes) but it took me that long to find a "predator" that wasn't either hiding under a rock. Or, busy running from a 2-spotted.

And, these are supposed to KILL my mite problem??? Doubtful. LOL

They seem to co-habitat well with the 2-spotted, simply walking right over the top of the 2 spotted. Well, the small ones. The Persimilis went way around the big 2-spotteds. LOL

It seemed like they fought among themselves more than against the 2-spotted.

Maybe I just got a batch that just got home from a big Thanksgiving dinner and they were not hungry. LOL

Ringodoggie · Aug 22, 2018

Well, I am NOT impressed. An inspection today shows no real reduction in 2-spotted mites but I can't find a single predator.

Has anyone had luck with ladybugs? I have heard that they work well but they inhabit the buds and die there. Several posts complained of having to pick ladybugs off the buds before smoking. I'm not sure if that's worse that mites but it's not great.

One thing that I did notice is that the leaves directly in front of the ultrasonic unit was almost void of the white spots that identify mite damage. Upon further inspection I saw no mites on the few leaves. I am going to look into this a little further with the close-up video and the mites and ultrasound unit in a closed box.

I think it might also be wise to test the CO2 theory in a closed box to determine if it's practical to try.

I definitely can't sit by and do nothing. I'll loose this crop. I either have to keep pumping money into predators or find something else that works.

If I make it to week 6, I can defoliate the lower leaves where much of the infestation exists. It seems, they infest the fan leaves first. I don't see them at all in the buds..... yet.

No-pest strips? Do they still make those?

CO2 fire extinguishers?

Laser guided Azamax cannons?

Got to be SOMETHING. I can't sit back and watch this beautiful crop go down to these fuckers.

I am going to order more pred mites for sure. Do ladybugs eat the pred mites also?

I wonder if fumes from something would work? Setting out a tray of chloroform might do something. I wonder what it would do to the plants?

I have a gig tonight but I am home all day tomorrow. I am going to clip some leaves full of mites and start subjecting them to some shit. Little fuckers have to be affected by something. Maybe high fructose corn syrup would piss them off. LOL

.

BOMBAYCAT · Aug 22, 2018

The Borg seem like they are born pregnant with the eggs. You need to spray them every 2-3 days for at least a week to get the new generation that comes from the eggs and interrupt their life cycle. I used a FPE of Lavender blossoms to kick them, and then sprayed the plants in the grow room preventative once a week for a year just in case there were any Borg left. I try not to spray during the bloom phase. Lavender smells good though so maybe I can use it in bloom?

blastfrompast · Aug 22, 2018

carefull with the co2 especially if using in a basement....it pools....if u start getting headaches etc....CAREFUL..

especially if your trying to flood a tent from a 20lb tank wide open....

Ringodoggie · Aug 22, 2018

I wish I could spray but if you look at my crop you'll see it's out of the question. These are a day away from 4 weeks into flower.

The eggs are EVERYWHERE. Fucking underside of the leaves are full of them. In 10 days, I am going to be overwhelmed. I will buy another 4000 predator mites next week. It's my only hope.

Fucking borg.

As for CO2 safety.... absolutely CO2 can KILL if it overcomes you and you pass out in it. I already have the Mrs. Ringodoggie to stand by and make sure I am not overcome.

Thanks for the warning and anyone trying this would do well to heed that warning.

.

Gry · Aug 22, 2018

I would think picking out ladybugs might be easier than the smaller stuff.
Best of luck for positive results.

I would consider spraying them down with 70/30 alcohol/water the day prior to using the predators, just to cut down on the numbers. It evaporates fast enough with decent air movement as to not be an issue, it may buy you time.

purplepassion · Aug 22, 2018

Start de leafing them to the max

beanja · Aug 22, 2018

mist them with water if late in flower and i dont think they favor high humidity environments.

Ringodoggie · Aug 24, 2018

I am finding very little information and almost no posts on using a systemic approach.

Feeding the plants a substance that is undesirable to the mites but harmless to the plants (and me).

How about adding vinegar to your water? Or, some other 'organic' approach.

How about something like imidacloprid?

According to what I read it is effective on mites, is gone from the plant in 30 days and as for inhaling it.....

The acute inhalation LD50 in rats was not reached at the greatest attainable concentration.

These fuckers are NOT going to win this war.I am!

AgentPothead · Aug 24, 2018

All I can say is be careful with imidacloprid as it fucks bees up proper. Shouldn't be as big an issue as it's indoor, but still, bees are our friends, so be careful.

Ringodoggie · Aug 24, 2018

Yeah, I saw all the warnings on being a bee-killer. Being indoors, I'm not worried. More concerned if it's going to kill me than the bees. LOL

I am totally anal about poisons so I won't be using it but it looked like a decent solution and no one has mentioned using it.

Sprays are absolutely the worst solution for me. I'll never get the required coverage (few people do). As crowded as I am, mold would almost be guaranteed from a dense spraying (which is usually what you need). And, from what I'm reading, unless you rotate, the sprays and poisons, they don't work anyway.

Garlic waterings.

Steam treatments.

Damn, I'll fart in the room if that's what it takes to drive the little fuckers out of my life. Usually drives my wife out of the room pretty fast. LOL

.

MJPassion · Aug 25, 2018

BEAN EATING CONTEST AT RINGODOGGIE's FOLKS!!!

We're gonna help gas the place! LMFO!

If you've got the CO2 bottle, you may as well get to using it.
Those borg aren't getting any weaker while contemplating their demise!

Ringodoggie · Aug 25, 2018

I didn't buy the CO2 yet. The predatory mites are helping some. I am going to order 10,000 preds next week and do it again. If that works to get me through this harvest, it's probably my best bet. Pretty expensive.

I have been buying them from 'naturesgoodguys' on eBay but if anyone knows a better USA source, let me know. I am paying $60 for 5000 with overnight shipping in a cooled envelope.

Why are they shipped overnight and cooled? They withstand 80F to 90F. I guess they don't last long in the plastic bottles.

MJPassion · Aug 25, 2018

I'm guessing the cooled envelope helps keep the breeding population from exploding in transport as well as ensures delivery of live predators.

Some of those USPS delivery trucks can get pretty hot, I assume.

I don't remember the name but there is a place in the PNW that does beneficials as well.

other possible sources:

arbico-organics
planet natural

Mikell · Aug 25, 2018

Imidicloprid is not effective against spider mites and research on strawberries suggests it antagonizes them resulting in a breeding frenzy.

Don't spray cannabis oil tincture. The only effective part is the alcohol. See Avinash Miles alcohol recipe for a better solution.

You need to start weeks earlier with predators. It isn't a knee jerk method for mid late flower.

Most of the suggestions here will leave a thick residue on the flower.

I would keep going with the predators but focus more on earlier stages re: veg and early flower.

Many people have tried high CO2. They all moved on to other methods.

Good luck.

Ringodoggie · Aug 25, 2018

Thanks, bud. I'm not a sprayer. The way I grow, I am way too crowded to get good coverage. And, in a crowded environment, I'm just begging for mold by spraying just about anything. And, I'm not one to smoke poison, regardless of who says it's harmless. That really cuts out 95% of what most people do.

So, I am left with crap like the CO2 idea and ultrasonic devices and....... preds.

I have been growing for half a century and this is only the second or third bug problem I have ever had. This one is definitely lingering. LOL

If I can eradicate them 100% after my next harvest, I will stay on my present course. However, if I ever see one of these 2-spotted mother fuckers again, I believe I would actually implement a plan. I guess I could be somewhat flexible on spraying something during the veg stage. However, as soon as I flip and the plant's biology starts to change, I am not too big on poisons after that.

Precautionary measures are always best. Removing shoes. Covering long hair. Wearing gloves.

Thanks again for all the input, gang. I appreciate it.

beanja · Aug 26, 2018

grab a good vac with long hose and suck them up . vacuum each plant .

Ringodoggie · Aug 28, 2018

I have been reading up on breeding and maintaining my own predator mites. It seems that a small companion planting of beans and a small container of wheat bran and some flour mites is about all I need.....

I plan to build a small Persimillis 'farm' in a 6" x 6" x 1" deep box and place it in the canopy of my crop.

I am surprised no one has considered companion planting. I do it all the time in my outdoor flower/veg garden but never considered it inside (because of the space limitations). But, getting rid of these mites and KEEPING them gone is becoming paramount.

Oddly enough, heading into week 5, the plants are going great. White spot all over the fucking place but the leaves are apparently still photosything and the buds are getting real nice and frosty.

I get another 4000 preds tomorrow.

If I get any really good articles on breeding preds, I'll post a link.

Anyone ever try high PPM CO2 for killing spider mites?

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