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ROLS / NO-TILL - Bug identification help please??

ROLS-LA

New member
I'm using ROLS and I'm trying to identify these tiny bugs. Last cycle they exploded all over the soil, wooden beds, and random objects, but barely touched the plants at all, except for in a few places. I sprayed green cleaner and essential oils a few times but I'm not convinced if that's why they disappeared. They appear to be back and in a hatching stage in this new run. Their legs look a little like spider mites under the macro lens but none of them ever grew large enough to spin a web or cause any problems so I am not sure. Right now they look like white moldy specks until you notice they are moving. These macro photos are from last cycle when they were bigger but still tiny. Another photo shows them all over the sprayer.

Any help identifying them will be greatly appreciated; I already tried consulting various pest guides. Thanks!!
 

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ROLS-LA

New member
Also a ton of ants showed up to eat them last time and again this time but I am not sure if they can control them... do ants eat spider mites??
 

weedtoker

Well-known member
Veteran
do they move "relatively fast" compared to other critters? Can't say for sure, but consider Hypoaspis miles before freaking out...

cheers

 
spidermites1.jpg


spidermites have hairs on them, predatory mites dont(ok one does), and they look more like spiders, small head and large body behind it, spider mites are more 'equal shaped'
 

Internfluffer

New member
Aphid

Aphid

Looks like Aphids..... Aphids excrete a sugary liquid, which attract other insects, such as ants, that gather the sugary waste left by the Aphid, for food.
 
Old post but those look like run of the mill gamasid or oribatid mites, though pics are blurry. Google 'soil mites' or check out this article There are two very common species of mites that explode when I mulch or top dress, especially on my 'no-till' pots that I ONLY ever top dress and mulch. I am no expert, but it is my understanding that healthy soil will contain many types of both oribatid and gamasid mites; it's a good thing. I've never seen them damage foliage or really even go on the plants. They shred organic matter like spring tails, provide a base food source for predatory insects (lady bugs will chow on em along with fungus gnat larvae, which as irritating as they are can also be beneficial to living soil systems. they'll leave roots alone if there is sufficient organic matter in the soil. It's usually coco/hydro/sterilish mediums that fungus gnats damage roots in).

Anyways, just here to advocate for the harmless/helpful/good bugs :)
 
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Grateful_Breath

New member
Old post (as Princegoon points out) but I second Weedtoker's view that these look very similar to stratiolaelaps scimitus (aka hypoaspis miles). I use them as both preventative IPM, and as direct attack on root pests (especially root aphids).
 
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