Bugs in soil please help id - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

Laskar · #1 03-30-2018, 04:48 AM

Hello,

I recently found this bugs in my pots and I'm having trouble to identify them, I first thought they might be root aphids but can't see any tail pipes/cornicles on their abdomen but maybe my usb microscope is not strong enough. Here's a video of them.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6h26zg

Just hope it's not root aphids as I know they're a pain to get rid of, any id and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

Laskar

AgentPothead · #2 03-30-2018, 05:08 AM

I am not good at bug identification, but I think you are correct that is a root aphid. It appears to have to pronounced of a head to be a mite, and it matches having 3 sets of legs and 2 forward facing antenna. One thing I'm noticing in google though is that "root aphids" seem to have striation on the body, where as the ones you have seem to be smooth, I don't know if that matters, but I have a feeling it might help in classification. Good luck man, reading into root aphids it seems to be a shitty thing to deal with.

Laskar · #3 03-30-2018, 05:35 AM

Thanks for your replay Agentpothead, as you said they seem to be slightly different to the pics that I've seen in google and other sites. But it seems they may come in quite different colors and shapes so I really don't know. In the Fungus gnats or WINGED ROOT APHIDS??? sticky people talk about the tail pipes coming out the abdomen as a way to identify them but can't see those. Here's another video.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6h2bob

Treetroit City · #4 03-30-2018, 05:41 AM

Hypoaspis miles?

MrBungle · #5 03-30-2018, 05:46 AM

spring tails

Laskar · #6 03-30-2018, 05:58 AM

Thank you MrBungle, are you positive about it? If so that's great news!

Athos · #7 03-30-2018, 06:27 AM

They look kind of big to be springtails since those are like 1 mm.

Anyway if you want to make sure, pass your finger over over the soil surface, if they are springtails they will jump; which is something I didn't see the ones in your video do.

Athos · #8 03-30-2018, 06:38 AM

I think they look like this one

Found it here:
https://hempinsects.agsci.colostate.edu/hemp-insects/

AgentPothead · #9 03-30-2018, 09:33 AM

Based on that photo, I agree 100% with Athos. Check the undersides of your leaf not just the soil and if they are also there it's definitely those. If they are mostly on the roots and a winged version shows up it's probably those rice aphids from that page Athos linked.

Laskar · #10 03-30-2018, 01:15 PM

Thanks again for your help. I've checked again, they're very tiny (less than a millimeter) you can barely see them with the eyes so I used a usb microscope and yes they do jump when disturbed, hope that's a good sign! They're mostly on the soil and can see some on the side of the pots when I water the plants. I've also checked the undersides of the leaves and haven't seen any there, no flyers either. In the pic Athos posted I can clearly see the tail pipes on the rear of the bug and the shape is slightly different than those I have.