spider mite killing idea

[jimbo99]

Hey everyone. I just started growing again after a 2 year break and i just noticed that i have mites. I've got 6 successful grows under my belt and have never even seen a mite before. I thought I was immune to this problem but i guess i was wrong. So i have 18 plants that are around 5 weeks from seed and 6 5 day old seedlings. All plants are currently under a 18/6 light regiment, under a 600 hps, in ffof soil. I havent noticed any leaf damage yet but i do see a decent amount of mites around the top of the soil, crawling up the stems and even crawling around the outside of the pots. In order to combat this problem i secured a hot shot no pest strip to the front grate of my oscilating fan with a couple wires and closed all the intake and exhuast flaps on my tent and shut off my exhaust fan for the night with lights off. So, on to my questions...
Will this work to kill the mites?
If so, how long will it take?

 

[growinman]

Wow, are you sure they are mites? I realize they may lay eggs in the soil and congregate at times around the base of the plant, or so I 've heard, but I 've had them about 3 times and never have noticed them in that area unless if was after I had washed them off the leaves or similar. Another thing, and considering my eyesight isn't what it used to be, they are very hard to see. I mean you can see them on the leaves, and their eggs, but it's a strain on the eyes and isn't something most growers would even notice until they see spots/specks start on the lower leaves....

If you are sure you have mites and they like the soil, etc., use DE(DiatomatiousEarth) in the top inch of soil, or however deep you can get it without much disturbing the roots. As far as that goes, if your still 18/6 most all of the remedies are available for you to use.

I just question if they are actually mites.......Two Spotted Spider Mites...... I hope for your sake they're not, but you want to figure out what they because I 'd bet they are no good....and there are a lot of different pests.

Back to your question: I haven't used the NoPest Strips myself, but I have heard that they can help. The thing is to kill them---dont be fooled by "Controls." All's it takes is one egg................ people on here dont like to know how I got RID of the mites I had, or at least dont approve of it, so I stay out usually...... If it's before 12/12 I 've used AVID and Floramite SC.......... They are true chems/nukes that you dont want to smoke.... I've also heard good things about Azamax by GH, I believe, but haven't used it, same for azatrol.

Good Luck to you!
gman

 

[jimbo99]

Thanks for the response growinman. I just saw in the stickied mite thread that someone mentioned soil mites. I'm going to try to google some info on these now. Maybe this is what i have. I've been checking the plants pretty regularly since i first saw the mites yesterday and for the most part, they are not on the plants and there is no damage to the plants so far. However, i'm still seeing them in the soil and crawling around the lip and outside of the pots. They look like the pics of mites ive seen on the internet, but they are white, almost translucent in color. I saw a couple crawling up the main stem but nothing on the leaves. The no pest strip did not kill them, but it has only been 1 night, so ill leave it in there for now. I just boiled some cigarettes because i saw someone on here recommend spraying a nicotine solution on them. Is it safe to spray this on the top of the soil? If all else fails, i'll try to get some of that DE or maybe floramite because i heard that it works. Can i spray floramite on the top of the soil? Thanks in advance for any answers to these questions.

 

[jimbo99]

Also, i haven't noticed any webs. I Carefully inspect my plants every day and i didnt notice these little bastards until yesterday, so they haven;t been around long. How long do mites take to start making webs?

 

[gomer]

I havent noticed any leaf damage yet but i do see a decent amount of mites around the top of the soil, crawling up the stems and even crawling around the outside of the pots.

It does not sound like spider mites to me. Can you see them crawling on the pots without any magnification? I generally see leaf damage before any webs with spider mites. It is very hard to see the mites on the underside of the leaves without a loop or pocket microscope.

 

[Easygrowing]

Hi

I have spidermites to fight with,you have to looked at the underside of the leaf,es in the center of the leaf,there they starts to sit,and on that time,they are white,soon,er you will see,they beeing black in the mittle and some one-red-brown..

I dont want to used other mites to eat them,because i have other animal,but i want to use insectspray,made at Brown soap and a kind of alcohol mixed to gether-sorry my bad UK : ( it should work in veggestadium and start in 12-12. has to spary every 2-3 days between.And it,s importen to spray every part of the plant,because one can be lot more,,

Hope you can used it,mabye to looked around on IC at this problem or one will correct it,
they made lots of problems,in the start,it,s looked harmfull,but they will destroy nearly every leaf,and dont get the full of your grow,and thet will been in the tent og area in the future,to the problems get of ..

Best whishes M8 again-sorry for bad English

 

[jimbo99]

Thanks for the help gomer and easygrowing. im starting to think its some kind of soil mite and not a spider mite.i can see them with my naked eye on the pots because the pots are black and the bugs are like a mily white/traslucent color. They are very small, like a needle point, but i have pretty good eyesight. ive checked the leaves thoroughly and can not see any on the leaves. Ive been doing some google searches and i think it is some type of soil mite. From what ive read, they are harmless to the plants, some even say beneficial because of how they break down dead matter and what not. However, i don't want a grow infested with little bugs so i still want them gone.

 

[TWIGGS]

mites

mites

You sure their not fungus knats

 

[Easygrowing]

You sure their not fungus knats

Hmm ? has to checked that fungus knats is,i have grown for about 6 years or so,newer have this problem before,has to check for that twiggs-mabye thank,s but the destroy the leaf-looking for an picture,to show,and yes,same size as an Needle prick..and lots of them-
enjoying-not my tread know it.

 

[Easygrowing]

Found this on Google

nope for my sake,not Fungus Knat,s.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6942_control-spider-mites.html

 

[montehierba]

Mites

Mites

At the moment you are still vegging so is fine to spray your girls with some pepper tea with some neem oil, but poored into warm water so the oil becomes more liquid,penetrates more.Also score some ladybugs these things love to eat mites.
The Proffesor always said spray them strongly with the hose from the base up,nearly throwing them off the plant... this while vegging remember.

 

[jimbo99]

Nah, theyre definetly not fungus knats. The're tiny little white bugs, kind of resemble a tick or spider.

 

[gomer]

Have you looked through the Phylloxera thread?
Edit: I was looking at the thread and it does not look like root aphids are white. I've never seen any personally but I've read they have become a real problem in the last few months.

You might want to post a picture or two. Some of the experts here on the forum could probably tell you exactly what type of bug you have.

 

[Bud Bug]

Hey everyone. I just started growing again after a 2 year break and i just noticed that i have mites. I've got 6 successful grows under my belt and have never even seen a mite before. I thought I was immune to this problem but i guess i was wrong. So i have 18 plants that are around 5 weeks from seed and 6 5 day old seedlings. All plants are currently under a 18/6 light regiment, under a 600 hps, in ffof soil. I havent noticed any leaf damage yet but i do see a decent amount of mites around the top of the soil, crawling up the stems and even crawling around the outside of the pots. In order to combat this problem i secured a hot shot no pest strip to the front grate of my oscilating fan with a couple wires and closed all the intake and exhuast flaps on my tent and shut off my exhaust fan for the night with lights off. So, on to my questions...
Will this work to kill the mites?
If so, how long will it take?

Well Hot shot is a nerve gas so it'll control them but I wouldn't use it near a living area.

 

[jimbo99]

i got a picture

i got a picture

I took this picture. Sorry the quality isnt better, my camera is kinda old.

 

[Easygrowing]

@Jimbo

In the start of my tentgrow,they also was at the pot,s and they was white,as you describe.Then i looked under my leaf,s underside,there is also white Bug,s where useing black pot,s as you and many other..But then you say,there is nothing on the plant,s hmm ?

yes will be interrresting with an photo.Hope you get rip of them..i have lot,s of problems with them..but starts to attack them,just have another problems,and plants was getting in the background..Mabye you can asking Superpedro ? it,s a Fellow and know,he,s an clewer man...

 

[jimbo99]

my grow tent is in a spare bedroom and im ventilating it pretty well, thanks for the heads up bud bug.

 

[Easygrowing]

found this-it,s in Danish, but there you can see, all types of mites and so on,im sure,its a mite you have,mabye you can let google translate it ?

http://www.bioproduction.dk/skadedyrforside.html

Oh it,s in English to,so no problems

 

[jimbo99]

hey easy, i just checked the plants again and nothing on the plants, but im still seeing them mostly on the outside and on the lip of the pots. Theyre kinda hard to spot in the soil, but i can spot one every now and then. But still nothing on the leaves. No spots either, the plants look completely healthy.

 

[jimbo99]

maybe this is what they are, http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/soil_mite.htm