spider mites?

[shahomy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by oldfogey8
i took a good look. the bug-ses are spider mites...

does diatomaceous earth work on these?


no......... you best know........ get ready for war.

What is it used for?(diatomaceous earth)

 

[Grower13]

What is it used for?(diatomaceous earth)

very sharp edges on the granules....... put it in the soil and it cuts the exoskeleton on many types of insects and insect larvae ........ and you can and do eat it........... kills fleas and flies......... and even helps us loose weight........ Google it....... very interesting stuff.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

DE is not good to treat spider mites though, as they live and breed on the undersides of the leaves. DE is usually only effective on soil-borne pests. I believe it also caused them to dehydrate, but that may be related to the cutting of the exoskeleton.

 

[oldfogey8]

thanks for the info on DE. interesting stuff. so i sprayed my plants down with some pyrethrin today before the lights were off(i am on an 18/6 light cycle due to heat issues right now but i am still in veg obviously). just some stuff i bought at the local hardware store because i did not have time to head to the grow store. i also bought some neem oil for the change up you all are suggesting. i looked at the plants after the lights came back on and the majority of the little buggers seem dead but i did see some live ones. maybe they hatched after the spray? anyways, should i hit the plants with another dose of pyrethrin tomorrow or should i hit them with neem oil or should i wait a week or more/less and do one of the above? i also scrubbed the tent out with hot soapy water.

 

[MR1]

I did what you are doing Oldfogey, used Garden friendly Konk which killed the existing mites but but realized I needed something more so I bought some SNS 209 to go with the Konk I was using. The 209 takes a week or so to work it's way into the plant, meanwhile I kept using the Konk to keep them under control until the 209 did it's thing. That was over a year ago and have not seen any mites since, I quit adding the 209 after that batch of plants were done but I reuse my soil so I think there is a residual amount still in the soil. Still should add a bit in veg as a preventative.

 

[burnin1]

SNS 209 is a great preventative measure!

Has anyone ever tried Spider Mite predators? Do they work?

In past encounters with spider mites I have always used the nuclear option with Avid or some stuff from under the counter at a grow shop. Stuff in an unmarked vial with no instructions other than verbal. Probably stuff that is illegal in this State.

I use organic soil,nutes and preventative pest control and wonder if these would be a viable option should I encounter spider mites again. I have never seen them used. Just curious about other methods of control.

Danny Danko at High Times magazine has this to say about these predators.

Organic Pest Control
There are beneficial insects to combat every plague, and dozens of natural sprays that are effective, and nontoxic ways to eliminate the pests that damage plants. Chemical bombs and synthetic pesticides have no place in any cannabis garden. Predator mites and ladybugs are simple to acquire through the mail, and it's actually kind of fun to watch them devour their prey-the evil vegetarian bugs that have been feasting on your plants. Smoke a big spliff, get a nice-size magnifying glass and watch the massacre unfold. It's like Discovery Channel, but with weed!



http://www.buglogical.com/spider-mite-predator/

 

[MR1]

That is why I use the 209 , all natural, non chemical.

 

[oldfogey8]

thx mr1. forgot to mention that i ordered a 'pesticide sample kit' from sns which has enough 209 to make 9 gallons, some 217 that will make 10 oz and some 203 for fungus gnats(which i don't have... yet). i just did not want to delay getting after that little buggers. i think this sample kit will be enough to get me through this grow cycle. i also got a sample kit of of their 604a and b which is their veg and flowering ferts just for kicks.

i was thinking about where i may have picked up the mites. i had put some of my house plants in the tent. but they had been in the house all winter and i have not seen any mites on them. i put some of my vegetable seed trays in there to get a head start on the growing season but the soil was fresh out of the bag. so i kind of suspect they were in the soil which pisses me off. i have been growing for 2 years and this is my first issue with bugs. the soil is new for me(and a mistake i wont make again).

 

[oldfogey8]

checked the plants for spider mites and they have returned though there are not as many this time. gave them a good spraying with neem oil this time(last week was pyrethrin). i have some sns 203 and 217 on the way so next round will be that. the good news is the older BeP is looking healthier than i have seen her in quite a while.

i am letting them dry out really well between waterings which is a change from my previous grows. they do seem to like that...

View attachment IMG_0677.jpg

View attachment IMG_0676.jpg

View attachment IMG_0675.jpg

View attachment IMG_0674.jpg

View attachment IMG_0673.jpg

View attachment IMG_0672.jpg

View attachment IMG_0671.jpg

 

[Grower13]

It's war..........
View attachment untitled.png

 

[oldfogey8]

i dosed my plants with sns 604a and sns 209 a couple of days ago. hoping that the soil drench will control the mites long term.

 

[budz4me]

I used to have all out wars with those darn mites.

SNS209 is great as a preventative measure, will not reverse a bad infestation.

I really think the one thing that has cured my mite issues is the hygienic steps I take B4 going into grow room.

I always change into a fresh set of clothes, I brush my hair and wash my arms and hands off with soap/water.

The first 3 go arounds was nothing but war, the last 2 grows (including the one I just started 2 months ago) I have been 100% bug free.

 

[Grower13]

I do a lot of prevention and exterminating when I'm not growing.......... to be such fragile bugs they are a pain......... water will knock them back and even kill them........ prevention and a proactive approach are very important........ easier to keep from getting them than it is to get rid of them after you got them.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Budz is correct. SNS is to prevent an infestation. SNS 217 is the thing to use if you have an infestation. You cannot be sure you have killed anything initially. There are eggs that a lot of pesticides do not kill. Spider will return stronger and more pesticide resistant if they are not treated with something good.

Spider mites are anything but fragile--they are the Borg...and they ared very hard to eradicate once you have them. I have had SNS products fail before--just not be enough.
Sometimes I have to get out the big baddie pesticides--Forbid, FloraMite, avid.

 

[umbra]

Well since I have moved to Cali, it has been all out war. I have forbid, floramite, mighty wash, but it was a pyrethrin fogger that has done the best for us. I do the room with fresh plants then again before flower. Plants are significantly healthier than spraying the plants.

 

[oldfogey8]

i actually got some of the 217 as well. i just had not seen any mites since i treated them once with permethrin and once with neem oil. then i saw a couple yesterday when i was examining the plants. i blasted again with the permethrin and i think i will go at them with the 217 next.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Please do not use neem oil. It is useless against mites and it clogs the pores of the plant. I don't personally think it is good for anything....but the trash container.

If you see mites, they have not been eradicated. don't ***** foot around or you will have super resistant mites that nothing can kill.

Umbra, good to know about the pyrethrins. I do have a couple of Dr. Doom doggers.

 

[burnin1]

Neem oil can make your grow taste horrible.

I tried it years ago when I lived in the hot climate of the Big Valley.

I have never had any luck with it. The Borg just laugh at neem oil.

They prolly give each other hot oil massages with it.

I feel your pain right now and wish you all the best!

 

[Grower13]

After 2 weeks of fighting them oldfogey some peeps would go to the nuclear option........ which is hang a couple of Hot Shot pest strips in the grow room and nuke them #%$ @$%$.......... especially if you have no plants in flower. :chuck:

 

[oldfogey8]

good info. thanks. i have no plants in flower. i hope the one spraying of neem oil wont affect my plants long term. i cannot seem to do anything right on this grow...

umbra - what brand of fogger do you use? that sounds like a great plan. thanks.