Spider mites AKA The Borg

[Zeez]

I just ordered some predatory mites, Californicus, and paid a high price for overnight shipping. The mites took five days to get here. Day three, I called and they said they had to get them from somewhere else and reship. This was not at all clear when I ordered or I would have gone elsewhere. When they finally got here, the packaging was quite elaborate with insulation and cool packs. Finally getting to the half pint bottle, it was full of corn meal, I think, and there were little black specks in it.

I looked at it under the scope to check survival rates and could not find a single mite. I scanned 20 square cm with a grid search and could not find a single mite, not even a dead carcass. The little black specks looked like raisins under magnification. Be careful. It's a jungle out there.

 

[Granger2]

Buglogical is reliable. -granger

 

[mack 10]

Just tried some preditor bugs,
Def helped but you really need to get them
(Predators) well established before the mites get hold.
Also some predetors need to be in the right stage of growth
With usually quiet humid conditions.

The alcohol/ water solution is a good one.

I ended up trashing the room.
Plants where to big to spray, sucessfully.

Just hope the bastards don't suddenly reappear in week 4/5
Of flower. (next cycle)

 

[azad]

I've never had a spider mite problem.I found plenty of Asian lady bettle and they even laid egg and now I see plenty of larve fighting the good fight keeping the mom's clean and bug free. I think lady bugs rock

 

[paradoxlost]

I've never had a spider mite problem.I found plenty of Asian lady bettle and they even laid egg and now I see plenty of larve fighting the good fight keeping the mom's clean and bug free. I think lady bugs rock
View Image
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Ladybugs are the most voracious generalists that than will shitake on your leaves, adding a nice little frass addition to foliars and composts.

 

[CannaRed]

Ladybugs are the most voracious generalists that than will shitake on your leaves, adding a nice little frass addition to foliars and composts.

The invasive Halyomorpha halys - the brown marmorated stink bug invades my grow all the time. Supposedly they damage plants but I have seen no damage in past couple of years. But they definitely will and do "shitake" over everything. I collect them up with all their dead cousins and add them to compost.

I have a mite question. If a plant has mites and you chop that plant down, what happens to the mites?

Do they stay on the plant, continuing to eat? Do they die when the plant dries? Or do they immediately try to get off the cut plant ( when they realize) and try to get to a live plant?

I'm tight on space and wondering how far the drying chamber should be from growing areas.

 

[paradoxlost]

The invasive Halyomorpha halys - the brown marmorated stink bug invades my grow all the time. Supposedly they damage plants but I have seen no damage in past couple of years. But they definitely will and do "shitake" over everything. I collect them up with all their dead cousins and add them to compost.

I have a mite question. If a plant has mites and you chop that plant down, what happens to the mites?

Do they stay on the plant, continuing to eat? Do they die when the plant dries? Or do they immediately try to get off the cut plant ( when they realize) and try to get to a live plant?

I'm tight on space and wondering how far the drying chamber should be from growing areas.

They will climb to the top of the stalk where you made the cut cause that's where the sap is than they will die. I would wipe them off though depending how bad they are.

 

[CannaRed]

Thanks paradox. I don't have any mites on the hanging plants right now, I've usually eradicated them with coots cilantro and agsil mix before they get to the bloom chamber. But was wondering for the future, I know they can pop up at anytime.

 

[paradoxlost]

Yeah keep on them. Make that place inhospitable for mites. They will destroy crops

 

[Zeez]

Respect the mite.

If you don't have them, do everything possible not to bring them in. It's so much easier than trying to get them out. Be especially careful after visiting your grow shop. There's a good chance that they are on your clothes and anything you brought home.

 

[zachrockbadenof]

45days into 12/12, n see a wee little damage on some leaves... and see a few under the microscope...SHIT.... no webbing yet (thank god)... hit em yesterday with a spray of water, and will hit em again every other day for the next week with water- i have various organic sprays , but hesitate to use anything other then plain water... i need another 3weeks of 12/12...

afterwards i'm going to bomb the shit out of the small tent and grow room... will bomb it every '3' days with a dr doom type bomb, then spray the tent down with some other killer... i hate mites...

 

[zachrockbadenof]

just got a delivery of ladybugs.... take that u fuckin mites

 

[Ready4]

just got a delivery of ladybugs.... take that u fuckin mites

Good luck with them, they go everywhere lol
Several years ago, I had a frustrating mite problem. Got ladybugs, etc. It sucked.
Finally used some Mighty Wash and eliminated all of them, with no re-occurrence. Would not hesitate to do the same if it ever occurs again.
Mighty Wash on vegging plants, works awesome.
If you are 3 weeks from the end, the ladybugs will slow down any mites. If you put some wood stakes/supports up among the plants
that are flowering, any mites will often crawl to top to get as close to the light. Then you can squash them !

 

[zachrockbadenof]

Good luck with them, they go everywhere lol
Several years ago, I had a frustrating mite problem. Got ladybugs, etc. It sucked.
Finally used some Mighty Wash and eliminated all of them, with no re-occurrence. Would not hesitate to do the same if it ever occurs again.
Mighty Wash on vegging plants, works awesome.
If you are 3 weeks from the end, the ladybugs will slow down any mites. If you put some wood stakes/supports up among the plants
that are flowering, any mites will often crawl to top to get as close to the light. Then you can squash them !

thanks... yea i heard they like to travel around their new surroundings... as to mighty wash.... i actual bought a pint when i started this grow- i poured the contents in a plastic container, and dunked the plants which were small into the wash... then poured the wash back into the container.... i also sprayed down the tent... but obviously i missed some of em... i bought a gallon of mighty wash, and after this grow will bomb the tent/room 3 times over a week, and spray it down with the wash... i hate mites

 

[Zeez]

Short of the nuclear products which I bought but never used, I have tried many of the retail products. Try this. Use 2% Safer Soap (the plain one) and 2% Rosemary Oil mixed with 1% Dr Bonners Soap. Optional, I add 1% clove oil. This absolutely kills spider mites with minimal phytotoxic reaction - does not burn your plants. This does not kill eggs. You must use this thoroughly, once per day, every other day, three times to get the eggs as they hatch. They can not become resistant or immune to this because it suffocates them.

Inside your grow area. Use bleach. Be thorough. I have a sealed tent so additionally two No Pest Strips were used. They work. The strips were left in there for a week and then the tent was vented with fans for another week.

You will still have spider mites outside your grow area and they are trying to get in your grow. I use a1% Lavender oil and 1% Dr Bonners spray around the outside of the grow area to keep them away. They don't like lavender or clove.

There are more Spider Mites outside your tent. Be careful. Don't bring them back in. Not easy. Clean clothes only. Minimize tromping around inside the grow area. You must inspect your plants at least once per day. If you see a breakout, go back to the three applications every other day on the effected plant or possibly the area of the plant if you catch it early and it appears localized.

Lastly, The quality of your sprayer will effect your ability to get 100% coverage spraying and make it impossible to win the battle. Some sort of sprayer that atomizes the spray is best for complete coverage. I went with ShureShot sprayers and added the 12" extensions. At the end of the extension, the tube was bent 90 degrees up to spray under the leaves where the spider mites are. Be sure to shake the mix before spraying.

Good Luck. We're all counting on you.

 

[herbgreen]

good explanation zeez!

Also just the safer used early before any problems every 3 days and you may never see them

The rosemary oils seem to be a key component

Thanks!

 

[metsäkana]

lol i never seen spider mite on my plants even if i dont care about cleanliness

 

[Zeez]

good explanation zeez!

Also just the safer used early before any problems every 3 days and you may never see them

The rosemary oils seem to be a key component

Thanks!

It works and its clean. A gallon of SNS 217 concentrate (rosemary base) costs $250 and makes 6 gallons. A 16 oz bottle of rosemary oil costs $25 and makes about the same amount.

 

[Drop That Sound]

lol i never seen spider mite on my plants even if i dont care about cleanliness

You're one of 3 types of people here.

1. Have spider-mite problems

2. Just got rid of SM problems, but still kinda sketched out...

3. Waiting to eventually have SM problems. (my personal fav, enjoy it while it lasts!)



Green cleaner spiked with a drop of dish soap & extra isopropyl alcohol, along with No Pest Strips took care of my last infestation. I use the NPS's a lot now, one in a bin or garbage bag makes a nice gas chamber, for gear, equipment, and even plants.

I've also noticed over the years that carpet is actually one of the best barriers. Seems like its much easier for them to crawl up into a grow area on laminate, tile, or wood floors.

 

[paradoxlost]

You're one of 3 types of people here.

1. Have spider-mite problems

2. Just got rid of SM problems, but still kinda sketched out...

3. Waiting to eventually have SM problems. (my personal fav, enjoy it while it lasts!)



Green cleaner spiked with a drop of dish soap & extra isopropyl alcohol, along with No Pest Strips took care of my last infestation. I use the NPS's a lot now, one in a bin or garbage bag makes a nice gas chamber, for gear, equipment, and even plants.

I've also noticed over the years that carpet is actually one of the best barriers. Seems like its much easier for them to crawl up into a grow area on laminate, tile, or wood floors.

Or the fourth type: Someone who has a balanced ecosystem, including a diverse insect population in the soil, as well as basal layer. Dense and diverse amounts of cover crops. Balanced micronutrients. And gets spider mites and the problem gets taken care of over and over again without the gardener noticing.