Tiny bugs in/on the soil only, that I can see

[ston-loc]

So aside from my mild PM on random leaves, today I just went out to water the one plant that needed it, my GDP. I usually water each 5 gallon bucket with 2 gallons of water/nutes. I do a gallon, wait 5-10 mins, then the 2nd gallon. Well today as I'm pouring the first gallon I see 10-20 tiny little bugs scurry up the inside of the bucket to avoid the water. So small I cant really even see what they are, or really look like. Just a tiny oblong bug that crawls. Didn't see them fly, and were so small and fast I couldn't even get a picture of them. Haven't seen any on the plant, nor damage, aside from what the stupid caterpillars did.
After the first gallon absorbed into the soil they bolted back into the soil. Once I watered the 2nd gallon, same thing, but this time I smashed every one I saw. Any thoughts? Or something to worry about? Or take action on? I'm about 2 1/2 weeks into flower.

 

[Rosebud]

Did they have wings or could you tell? Do your leaves look like there is a water mark on them just inside the leaf margins? I am thinking thrip although they don't live in the soil I have seen them there.

 

[Parcero]

Put fly paper on top of the soil and catch couple to have a better look. They might grow wings later.

1" layer of sand on top might prevent them from escaping.

Good luck

 

[ston-loc]

Couldn't tell if they had wings. Honestly the size of fleas, but kind of an orangish brown color to them. Not really sure what you mean by water mark in the leaf margins. ??? This is my one plant that is a mongoloid. Early flower, harvested that stuff in the last couple weeks, though it is now flowering. In the process of that, found caterpillars inihilating the stalk. So hard to say what looks weird from what. The whole plant looks weird, haha. I'll post a current pic. Try to see if I can get another look at the bugs too. As soon as the water absorbed they were in the soil, and couldn't see them anymore, so I dunno. I'll try. Be back with a pic in a bit.

 

[Hushpuppy]

That sounds like some kind of aphid maybe. If I did any outside growing I would keep "Diatomaeceous earth" on the top of my soil to prevent any of the critters that like to nest in the soil from infesting. I think it is like micro-razor-wire made of glass shards. Any critters try to crawl into it get the ginsu knife treatment

 

[ston-loc]

Ok, so here are a few pics of the plant, and its leaves, and the last one is the best I could get of the bug. Saw a few, ran inside and grabbed a piece of scotch tape, and got one. Pic is from my camera through my jewelers loop. Not the best but you can definitely see it. Orangish and translucent with big long antennas. No wings that I could see.
She's not the purdiest girl. Definitely has her battle scars, haha.

 

[SmokeMyPiece]

The only time I've seen bugs scurrying around my pot, it was mites. Like you said, they came out when watered.

Start at the lower branches and look at the smaller leaves comin out from buds. Look for white splotches, 'watermarks' rose was talkin about. If you find some, there should be microscopic black dots around em.

 

[ston-loc]

I can't see anything out of the ordinary on the leaves.

 

[ston-loc]

Any other thoughts from the pics? That's the best pic I could get of the bug itself. Stopping at the hydro store tomorrow, going to get some "diatomaecous earth", assuming that's were I'd get it, and also the Pro-tekt for my minor PM issue. If there's something I should spray, would be great to hear soon so I can pick it up when I go. Any thoughts on what the bug is from the picture? Forget how many times zoom my jewelers loop is. It's one of the 2 dollar ones from ebay that was mentioned on here. Get the idea of how tiny the little bugs actually are. Any thoughts and advise would be much appreciated.

 

[dman1234]

Fungus Knats?

do you allow the soil to dry out completely?

 

[ston-loc]

Not 100%, but yes. I wait until it's mostly dry before watering/feeding again. Usually takes about every other day on this plant.
Just google imaged fungus gnat, and they dont look like that. Unless what I have is in a juvenile state still, I think it's something else.

 

[dman1234]

they live in the soil and freak out when you water, a layer of sand will help, but what i have done in the past is simply point a fan at the soil and allow it to dry out completelty, if the soil dries out they usually split, watering every other day sounds a bit much but it depends on pot size and enviroment, so maybe its not too much for you, you need to let the pot get really light in weight and get use to knowing when to water this way. jmo

 

[ston-loc]

That's exactly how I've been doing it since day one. My first grow, so obviously being over cautious. Got one of those meters, and my "mentor"/buddy threw it in the trash, and said I needed to learn this way. First transplanting into the 5gallon bucket with new soil felt how heavy it was, watered and felt how heavy it was. Now with obvious added root mass from growing, and adding that weight, its around 2 days for the top inches of soil AND finger in the drain hole on the bottom to both be dry, and feel light.

I guess my main worry at this time, aside from being 2 1/2 weeks into flower, is could these be a bad bug that may be attacking the roots, since I haven't seen them on the growth.

 

[dman1234]

That's exactly how I've been doing it since day one. My first grow, so obviously being over cautious. Got one of those meters, and my "mentor"/buddy threw it in the trash, and said I needed to learn this way. First transplanting into the 5gallon bucket with new soil felt how heavy it was, watered and felt how heavy it was. Now with obvious added root mass from growing, and adding that weight, its around 2 days for the top inches of soil AND finger in the drain hole on the bottom to both be dry, and feel light.

I guess my main worry at this time, aside from being 2 1/2 weeks into flower, is could these be a bad bug that may be attacking the roots, since I haven't seen them on the growth.

Yeah possibly, sounds like you got the watering thing down, if your sure the pots are drying out i would get atleast an inch of sand on the soils surface and see, if they are fungus knats dry soil will get rid of them.

 

[ston-loc]

Thanks for the input Dman. So diatomaecous earth or sand? I've got sand here, just want to make sure before doing anything, if I'd need to pesticide before it's too far into flowering.