What bug is this? Aphid?

[Ringodoggie]

I have a tent in my garage and it has been a terrible grow. I am about to actually just pull them and scrap the grow. First time I have ever had to do this in 30+ years.

Before it goes, I thought I would experiment with bug killers. I have some samples given to me of "Clove oil, Thyme oil, Garlic oil, etc" and I want to try Neem and Spinosad just to learn.

I sprayed the crap out of them with a Spinosad product.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51nOLQ+gaQL._AC_SL1200_.jpg

and, it about killed the plants. They were just starting to flower and this stuff made all the buds go bald and the stems got super flat and wide. See the pics.

I have done a couple sprays with the essence oil stuff and these creepy little bugs just won't die.

I think they are aphids and really should not be this hard to kill. Little bastards just keep on comin'

I think this grow is dead, Jim.

 

[Creeperpark]

Sorry to see you are having problems friend. The best way for me to deal with aphids is to relocate the plant to an environment that is nonconducive to their living conditions. Put them in an opposite temperature range or opposite wet from dry or cold from the hot or hot to cold environment. They are attracted to and thrive in your growing conditions. If you change the environment they will not thrive and leave.

Also if or when I see them I will finger smash all I can and use a jet sprayer to spray plain water on the tops and bottom of all the leaves. Hit the whole plant with water every chance I get. Water usually gets rid of aphids. Most of the time just putting the plants outdoors every night is enough to run them off. If all environment changes fail then I use a cold pressed neem oil with a drop of dish soap in warm water and spray the plant. I have never lost a plant due to any kind of insect following the first environmental change. That goes for greenhouse plants as well. If you don't change the environment you have you will keep getting what you got. Good luck friend.

 

[Ringodoggie]

Cool. I will try that.

So.... you do think that is an aphid, then?

Again, thanks

 

[SubGirl]

I do believe that is an aphid.
this is what they look like at that stage

 

[Ringodoggie]

Wow, another first for me.... I opened the tent this morning and saw a few flies buzzing around in the tent. Very odd to see that. Then, I shook the plants and a bunch more came out. WTF

Are they eating the aphids? They look like common houseflies. I did a quick search and found nothing about houseflies eating aphids.

Damn, weird fucking grow.

I doused them in the garlic/thyme/etc oil once again, mostly just to get rid of the bottle I mixed.

I hope these fuckers know how to build an ark because the flood is a-comin'.

 

[Creeperpark]

Cool. I will try that.

So.... you do think that is an aphid, then?

Again, thanks

Looks like it.

 

[FletchF.Fletch]

The flies are feeding off of the Aphids' sugary excretions. Spinosad is no good on Aphids, and should generally not be used past the onset of Pistil production as it causes an almost burning to buds. Sorry you found out the hard way, that's how I learned it as well. Plenty of safe natural solutions: spraying them off, insecticide soap, ladybugs, liquid ladybug. Just remember to spray during the dark phase after lights out or 20 minutes before lights on to avoid any damage occurring from scorch.

Be on the lookout for Ants. They herd Aphids and Scale like they were goats or cattle and can introduce pests to the Grow.

Good Luck!!

 

[Frosty Nuggets]

Simply use dishwashing liquid mixed with water and drench the plants every couple of days, the aphids will be gone within a week, did this on my blackberry and loganberry plants in my shadehouse.

 

[Hammerhead]

Wow, another first for me.... I opened the tent this morning and saw a few flies buzzing around in the tent. Very odd to see that. Then, I shook the plants and a bunch more came out. WTF

Are they eating the aphids? They look like common houseflies. I did a quick search and found nothing about houseflies eating aphids.

Damn, weird fucking grow.

I doused them in the garlic/thyme/etc oil once again, mostly just to get rid of the bottle I mixed.

I hope these fuckers know how to build an ark because the flood is a-comin'.

Those are most likely Gnats or Aphids. Both are fliers

House flies eat decaying rotten matter from fruits or meat. They can also consume plant secretions, sugars, and honeydew left from aphids.. But not harmful to plants.

 

[Ringodoggie]

Wow, thanks gang. I learned a ton.

When I was back in why oh why Ohio, I lived in the same house for 35+ years and I had my grow rooms dialed in like a fine diamond. Now that I have moved and my grow is encountering so many new things, it's like being a noob again. LOL

@FletchF.Fletch , I sure did learn the hard way. My buds look like they had a head shave. LOL It was my first time using Spinosad. Never again. LOL

I still feel this grow is dead and I doubt I would actually smoke these 'bald' buds but I want to experiment in case I have another encounter in the future. I ordered a Neem soap. I may try that to see what it does. I'll try @Frosty Nuggets suggestion of soapy water tonight

Prepare thyselves aphids, the rain cometh. LOL

And, thanks again for all the input. I have a seed crop coming in a couple weeks and I managed some nice White Widow Fem Autos that I am growing out right now that look pretty good. Once I know what I have, you folks are welcome to some free seeds for helping out. Again, thanks.

 

[Creeperpark]

Wow, thanks gang. I learned a ton.

When I was back in why oh why Ohio, I lived in the same house for 35+ years and I had my grow rooms dialed in like a fine diamond. Now that I have moved and my grow is encountering so many new things, it's like being a noob again. LOL

@FletchF.Fletch , I sure did learn the hard way. My buds look like they had a head shave. LOL It was my first time using Spinosad. Never again. LOL

I still feel this grow is dead and I doubt I would actually smoke these 'bald' buds but I want to experiment in case I have another encounter in the future. I ordered a Neem soap. I may try that to see what it does. I'll try @Frosty Nuggets suggestion of soapy water tonight

Prepare thyselves aphids, the rain cometh. LOL

And, thanks again for all the input. I have a seed crop coming in a couple weeks and I managed some nice White Widow Fem Autos that I am growing out right now that look pretty good. Once I know what I have, you folks are welcome to some free seeds for helping out. Again, thanks.

It's important and helpful to have yellow stickies in the garden for early detection.

 

[Old Piney]

I suds them up with dish detergent and water at the sink let them sit a minute and rinse them down with the sprayer

 

[Nannymouse]

Would increased air (wind) deter the aphids?

 

[xtsho]

Aphids are easily dealt with by just spraying them off with plain water. No need for any chemicals.

 

[Nannymouse]

Ummm, my peppers have aphids...been spraying them several times a day, for weeks. They still have aphids. In the house, in the winter (where winters are serious). I was hoping to overwinter them and put them outside, but most have been killed off, already. They love peppers, i think more than anything.

 

[Ringodoggie]

Well, I lost. LOL

The water/soaping dousing really cut them back. But, they came back blowing bubbles.

I Neemed the shit out of them. But, again, they came back. and were making Neem cocktails.

I raised the temp 10F and the RH by almost 20%. I saw them tanning and misting each other.

I am going to spray some iso and water on them in a minute. The plants are going to the mulch bin so it's just a game of aphid torture from now on.

Next is bleach and water. Little fuckers.

These plants are some science fiction looking shit. The buds look like those hairless cats you see pics of. Never seen bald buds before.

Too bad. As best I can recall this will be the first grow in 50 years that I didn't take to harvest.

The first pic of the leaf full of aphids is fucking creepy. You can almost see the aphids moving. I need to get rid of these plants before they attract the Borg.

Thanks for all the advice. All good advice except the one thing I did wrong. You need to get UNDER the leaves. Gotta get all that soap/whatever all over. Dunking is best if the plant size allows. All I did was spray the tops and a light bottom sweep. Just not enough.

Thanks again.

 

[Frosty Nuggets]

Yeah when I said soak them I should have said the undersides as well.

 

[xtsho]

Well, I lost. LOL

The water/soaping dousing really cut them back. But, they came back blowing bubbles.

I Neemed the shit out of them. But, again, they came back. and were making Neem cocktails.

I raised the temp 10F and the RH by almost 20%. I saw them tanning and misting each other.

I am going to spray some iso and water on them in a minute. The plants are going to the mulch bin so it's just a game of aphid torture from now on.

Next is bleach and water. Little fuckers.

These plants are some science fiction looking shit. The buds look like those hairless cats you see pics of. Never seen bald buds before.

Too bad. As best I can recall this will be the first grow in 50 years that I didn't take to harvest.

The first pic of the leaf full of aphids is fucking creepy. You can almost see the aphids moving. I need to get rid of these plants before they attract the Borg.

Thanks for all the advice. All good advice except the one thing I did wrong. You need to get UNDER the leaves. Gotta get all that soap/whatever all over. Dunking is best if the plant size allows. All I did was spray the tops and a light bottom sweep. Just not enough.

Thanks again.

It's unfortunate you have had such issues. I think the neem has really taken a toll on the health of the plants.

Those look pretty done. I hate to say it as I'm always hoping things work out but it looks pretty bad as you're well into flower. Well beyond the cutoff for spraying an oil based remedy like neem.

I think if you would have just sprayed them with plain water and washed off the aphids daily for a week you would have gotten rid of them without damaging your plants.

Might be time to start some more seeds. I don't see how you recover at this point. It is what it is.

 

[Stumped]

The flies are feeding off of the Aphids' sugary excretions. Spinosad is no good on Aphids, and should generally not be used past the onset of Pistil production as it causes an almost burning to buds. Sorry you found out the hard way, that's how I learned it as well. Plenty of safe natural solutions: spraying them off, insecticide soap, ladybugs, liquid ladybug. Just remember to spray during the dark phase after lights out or 20 minutes before lights on to avoid any damage occurring from scorch.

Be on the lookout for Ants. They herd Aphids and Scale like they were goats or cattle and can introduce pests to the Grow.

Good Luck!!

What's the best way to get rid of the ant's

 

[xtsho]

What's the best way to get rid of the ant's

Not with nasty chemicals. Sprinkle some cinnamon or black pepper. The ants will leave.

Too many rush out and dump all kinds of stuff on their plants. Ant's are not even much of a threat to your plant if any at all.