# MITES, Help?  PICS



## mendo local (Sep 23, 2007)

You can see the mites have taken over, but on the last pic is how the tops are. mostly untouched except for on a few. Ideas, Help?


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## Homemadegravity (Sep 23, 2007)

Did you try any of the ideas given to you in your last post about this?


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## mendo local (Sep 23, 2007)

Homemadegravity said:
			
		

> Did you try any of the ideas given to you in your last post about this?


 
Not yet, lights just came on so I ran out and took a few pics so you all could see what im dealing with. Going to try out the ideas next.


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## g-13 (Sep 23, 2007)

I've always heard that you cant kill them only slow them down til the end of harvest. i just had them in my last crop. the bombs never worked for me neither did all the sprays at the hydro store. the only thing that worked was 1part iso alcohol and 1part water. that really slowed them down and the harvest was just fine. spider mites are closely related to spiders(daddy long legs). the only way to kill them is bleach. so after harvest bleach and water will have the room just like new. i hope that helps you out.


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## mendo local (Sep 23, 2007)

g-13 said:
			
		

> I've always heard that you cant kill them only slow them down til the end of harvest. i just had them in my last crop. the bombs never worked for me neither did all the sprays at the hydro store. the only thing that worked was 1part iso alcohol and 1part water. that really slowed them down and the harvest was just fine. spider mites are closely related to spiders(daddy long legs). the only way to kill them is bleach. so after harvest bleach and water will have the room just like new. i hope that helps you out.


 
So I make a mist 50/50 water alchol and spray over the entire plant? buds too?


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## g-13 (Sep 23, 2007)

20% on the tops of the leaves and 80% on the bottoms. buds and all walls too. check around for spiders too if you have a chance. once you spray you will notice the webs they make.


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## jb247 (Sep 24, 2007)

Also spray the top of the soil as thats where alot of the eggs are for the next crop of the deadly borg...spider mites...I completely killed off my only invasion of these nasties. Used a spray from Schultz called Garden Safe Houseplant and Garden Insect spray and hey...they are gone.

Peace...j.b.


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## Hick (Sep 24, 2007)

Mites lay their eggs on the leaves, not in the soil.
Concentrate your treatments on the underside of the leaves. 
Raise the RH and lower your temps. That slows their reproduction cycle.


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## MrPuffAlot (Sep 24, 2007)

would cutting off the leaves with the mites help??

or will they just move to the buds??


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## Hick (Sep 24, 2007)

.."I" _very seldom_ condone cutting leaves off. THEY "are" the life support system for your plants.
  If there aren't any fan leaves, the remaining population will definately have to move  to the smaller bud leaves.
 Diatomaciuos earthj, painted onto the under leaves helps kill the adults, they can be washed off with a pressure spray of water, sticky tapes will get a portion of them.
  None will eliminate them.
  "I" recommend Avid and a dilluted bleach cleaning of every inch of the area, every fixture, fan, pot, tool, instrument, that has been in there. Then protect yourself from "re" introduction, by keeping everything clean.


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## mendo local (Sep 25, 2007)

Hick said:
			
		

> Mites lay their eggs on the leaves, not in the soil.
> Concentrate your treatments on the underside of the leaves.
> Raise the RH and lower your temps. That slows their reproduction cycle.


 

If I raise my RH (currently held at 50%) Wont I risk getting mold?


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## Hick (Sep 25, 2007)

Mites evaporate large quantities of water from their bodies, so they must **** juices from the plants. This is easier for them to do in a dry environment. Humid environments (above 60% RH) slow down their metabolism, life span and reproductive rate. Mites may be controlled somewhat by lowering the temperatures (at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit they start to hibernate), thus slowing down their life process considerable. Even if you only decrease the temperature during the indoor dark cycle (when it is easier to lower temperatures), the progression rate of the infestation is slowed considerable

and from PKJ...(thanks joe)
Solution: Phytoseiulus, biological red spider mite control.
Harmless to children, pets and wildlife!

Pronounced: FY-TOE-SOO-LUS
Description:
Phytoseiulus persimilis is a predatory mite capable of eating large numbers of red spider mites, it moves amongst the plants to find its prey.

It is slightly larger than the red spider mite. With a pear shaped shiny red body, it has long legs and is a quick mover. Young stages are oval and very pale pink.

Life Cycle:
Each Phytoseiulus can produce 50-60 eggs in 3 weeks. Egg to adult takes about 12 days at 20ºC (68ºF), and half that at 30ºC.

Many hundreds of spider mites will be eaten by a single Phytoseiulus during its life cycle, and it will eat all stages of red spider mite.

Phytoseiulus reproduces at twice the rate of red spider mite at 18ºC (64ºF) and above.
If all the red spider mites are eaten, Phytoseiulus will disperse and die.


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## Hick (Sep 25, 2007)

here's the info I was looking for..


> A female lays about 100 eggs during her lifetime. Depending upon climate conditions, the eggs hatch in as little as 2-3 days, and the adult stage is reached in 7-10 days. The females reproduction is greatly affected by climate and humidity with a significant difference in the days till their maturity dependant upon the temperature i.e.) egg to adult. For instance at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, it takes 30 days for the egg to become an adult, at 70 degrees 14.5 days and here is the astounding number - 90 degrees Fahrenheit they reach adulthood in just 3.5 days! So now imagine those populations increases over a month when the offspring start to reproduce less than a week after hatching - at 70 degrees she and her offspring number 13,000; at 80 degrees she and her offspring represent a staggering potential of 13,000,000 individuals over a single month - huge population increases!


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## SFC (Sep 25, 2007)

I cannot stress enough to use good hygene around your plants, and to inspect them everyday, particularly during veg. If you catch a potential problem early in the grow it is much easier to contain it. The one time I had mites, I hit the plants with everything but the kitchen sink, and won.

 Don't play with mites!


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## MrPuffAlot (Sep 25, 2007)

Hick said:
			
		

> Mites evaporate large quantities of water from their bodies, so they must **** juices from the plants. This is easier for them to do in a dry environment. Humid environments (above 60% RH) slow down their metabolism, life span and reproductive rate. Mites may be controlled somewhat by lowering the temperatures (at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit they start to hibernate), thus slowing down their life process considerable. Even if you only decrease the temperature during the indoor dark cycle (when it is easier to lower temperatures), the progression rate of the infestation is slowed considerable
> 
> and from PKJ...(thanks joe)
> Solution: Phytoseiulus, biological red spider mite control.
> ...


 

How do you find/source these predatory Mites???


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## Hick (Sep 25, 2007)

http://www.google.com/search?q=Phytoseiulus%2C+biological+red+spider+mite+control.&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=com.ubuntu:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a
what "google" found..


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## Runbyhemp (Sep 25, 2007)

Plenty of information here


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## MrPuffAlot (Sep 25, 2007)

Nice...

Ill deffinately have to buy some if Mites are detected.

I wonder, can you buy them, and store these guys for JUST in case??


Now any natural predators for Gnats??


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## The_Duhcider (Sep 25, 2007)

At this stage in the game I'd say pred mites are a lost cause you want to introduce preds when you have had a problem in the past or if you catch the mites real early. A strong mix of food grade hydrogen peroxide and water will nuke the bastards. Make sure when/if you use this stuff that it is before lights come on or early morning if outdoors, as this stuff breaks down into water. You don't want water sittin in/on your buds all night.


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## Slartibartfast (Sep 27, 2007)

My outdoor AK48 is close to harvest and mites are causing a lot of damage to the shade leaves.  I've had only a couple of small leaves on the buds turn brown, but for the most part they look healthy.

Is it okay just to leave it alone for one more week before I harvest it?  Will the mites ruin the buds, or do they just concentrate on the leaves?  I'll cut it early if necessary, but I'd hate to lose that last burst of volume.


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## The_Duhcider (Sep 27, 2007)

In regards to harvesting now or waiting, that is a judgment call only you can make..."Weight and Watch" as we say in my neck of the woods.


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## Slartibartfast (Sep 27, 2007)

Slartibartfast said:
			
		

> My outdoor AK48 is close to harvest and mites are causing a lot of damage to the shade leaves. I've had only a couple of small leaves on the buds turn brown, but for the most part they look healthy.
> 
> Is it okay just to leave it alone for one more week before I harvest it? Will the mites ruin the buds, or do they just concentrate on the leaves? I'll cut it early if necessary, but I'd hate to lose that last burst of volume.





			
				The_Duhcider said:
			
		

> In regards to harvesting now or waiting, that is a judgment call only you can make..."Weight and Watch" as we say in my neck of the woods.



Yeah, I know, I just don't want those little buggers smokin' my dope.:watchplant:


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