Spider mites AKA The Borg

[b00m]

Hey there, have just discovered the borg on my outdoors and indoor plants, outdoor havent begun to show sex yet but my three of my indoors are 19 days into flowering an I'm really pissed about it, but anyways I was really suspicious of using some of the chemical stuff that is around here in australia, and have been unable to find any neem oil products, but after a google search or two I was able to find a certified organic product called eco-oil thats all natural extracts, and was able to track it down @ the local bunnings store for $20 for a 500ml bottle or $28 for a litre bottle. Got some this arvo and gave all the plants a good spray tonight, so hopefully this will do the job and not do any damage to the young buds on the indoors. Going to clean grow cab with bleach an water when the lights come on. I will update whether I have success or failure with the product. Might try the tobacco method if no success with eco-oil.

Peace an Respect

b00m

 

[T.Baggins]

I thought this pic. was pretty cool.....scanning electron micrograph of a two-spotted spider mite

 

[budvapor]

I thought this pic. was pretty cool.....scanning electron micrograph of a two-spotted spider mite

thanks dude! that was mind-blowing!!

 

[Weedninja]

That image will haunt my dreams.

 

[Reefdoggie]

Volck Oil Spray might do the trick, but be very careful...

Volck Oil Spray might do the trick, but be very careful...

Found some white spots yesterday on my babies (2 and 3 week old seedlings), so I came to this thread to see if it was sumpin serious...oh crap, apparently it is! Hopefully, I have found a solution, but time will tell.

I tried Volk Oil Spray concentrate (Ortho brand from Home Depot) that I had previously used on a small mango tree in my yard (which seemed effective on it). This time, I used it at half the recommended strength for greenhouse applications, and misted it all over (& under) the plants, and the entire veg area too (a shower stall) last nite around 8pm. Prior to that, I made sure they were thoroughly watered. Left the fan on to ensure adequate ventilation, and the temps were 76-79 degrees farenheit (under the CFL's).

Well, it's been 24 hours, and so far, so good. As far as I can tell with a magnifying glass, the borg seem to have suffocated, and no visible signs of leaf burn (my greatest concern). Full strength would have made the leaves shiny, but half-strength didn't, so I have hope that they will be able to withstand it. It may not have been the optimum solution for this type of crop, but I wuz desperate to get them critters eradicated as soon as possible. And I figured if these tenderlings could make it through 1 application ok, they would be allright down the road at harvest time. But I would not recommend it for use during the flower cycle, as it's 97% petroleum oil based.

It is listed for Whiteflies, Mealybugs, Scales, Adelgids (wtf?), Lacebugs and Spider mites, (as well as their eggs). I'll report back if any adverse signs appear...

 

[Reefdoggie]

Also, while looking online for other methods of control, I came across a product called "Agrizyme Natural Pest Killer" for Spidermites & Aphids listed at 4hydroponics.com ($9.95 for 16 oz. spray bottle). If anyone has any experience with this, let us all know how it worked, please...

 

[Weedninja]

Heyya Reef. You have to be careful what you use on young plants. I just lost a bunch of clones and seedlings after spraying with a clove oil-based spray. The half strength was probably a good idea.
Are you sure you have mites? Thrips can cause similar damage, but they have a different feeding pattern.

Here are some pics of an early spider mite infestation:

 

[Reefdoggie]

Weedninja, I think they wuz mites, based on your pics, and others I've seen. But I am a mere neophyte and prolly wouldn't know a mite from a thrip. Do thrips spin webs too? I forgot to mention there were a few of those at the base of the leaf stems...but I think I get 'em early on before all their relatives moved in. If not, I'll chalk it up to a noob's learnin experience (at least its bagseed).

Oh and thanks for the tip on clove oil.

 

[Weedninja]

Well, you're guilty of not mentioning that you had webs and I'm guilty of not mentioning that webs are the #1 sign of spider mites.

Just remember that most mite treatments don't kill the eggs, so a repeat treatment is necessary around a week later.

 

[Redrooster]

Floramite in late bloom?

Floramite in late bloom?

High all, I would like a definite answer, from anyone who knows, can floramite be applied in late bloom(7 weeks out of 9)? Go away for a little while and they move in. Not nice! RR

 

[Weedninja]

Not unless you don't mind smoking floramite.When I have mites in late flower, I mist the plants with water once a day or so to keep them from setting up shop. It's not a cure but it will keep the population down enough to prevent them from wrecking your grow.

 

[Redrooster]

Thanks Weedninja, I guess there are very few things that can be done in late flower, so I will lower my temps as much as possible and higher humidity(but not much ’cause of possible pm) use a dr. Doom fogger bomb, remove a whole bunch of infested leaves. RR

 

[jocat]

I had those little fuckers bad in the past and it was late in flower so i didn't have many options, it's so maddening to see your beauties in such a state, mine had webs around the tops that made 'em look like theyed been used as dusters for cobwebs or something, hand remove as much as you can, try to think about the death by fire they will eventually suffer, when i did hang them upside down all the mites seemed to head up and i would walk down the line with a lighter and fry there asses off the stump, i remember my galfriend at the time complaning she was gettin bit during the trimout, and maybe it wasn't as tasty as it could have been, but smokin mites is, i believe FDA approved, chemies not so. j

 

[Betty's Boy]

when in flower, try "Safer brand" Fruit & Vegetable insecticide. Can be used right through harvest, No ill effect's. I'm using it now with two week's of flower left.
Good Luck All...

 

[sarek]

I think that you need to look at your hygiene. If you are the kinda person that once ya get rid of them you would get re-infected (houseplants, dog, cat, gardener, long bug infested hair, in other peoples gardens touching everything, dont change clothes before going in room) THEN you should aim for control and management with a oil or very non toxic product and use it all the time.

On the other hand, if you are very organized and clean about your room and if u r confident that once u got rid of them once they would never come back, then use Floramite. Spray every last inch of foliage everywhere a few times and maybe even cross spray with Spinosad, oil or some other product. Get rid of them permanently then never let them get in again.

Spider mites, thrips, whiteflies are all easy to get rid of if u have good hygiene which should really be your goal, aim for a clean grow and bug problems become small with the arsenal od miticides etc u have.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool (mite) me twice shame on me.

 

[THC123]

I just hate those goddamn spider mites , next year i will not only disinfect my indoor tent but i will keep treating my entire garden.

 

[spaceghost22]

lady bugs work real well

Yeah, I just let about 10 go into my garden

 

[Gratephul4THC]

I have recently ran into a spider mite problem and have used 4 things: The home depot stuff, doesnt kill them will control it, but can't spray if your close to harvest,

Lady bugs, i was very happy with them and thought they totally took care of my room It you constantly want lady bugs in your room then they will do the trick. But i didn't want them in my flowering room all the time.

PCO fogger, seemed to kill the mites but have damaged my plants badly in spots. I probably used too much (used 1 can in a 8x8 room) will never use this product again! To be truthful i used a fogger in a room with 4 plants 35 days into flowering and 4 plants 2 days into flowering only the ones 2 days in were the ones that got damaged. I still will never use this product again though.

Then there is Ed Rosenthal's Zero Tolerance, this product truly amazed me. I used this stuff on my plants up till the day i harvested and it did not effect the final product what so ever, i used it on a ecsd and it has the same exact taste and smell as any other time ive grown it! It smells like cinnamon and it such a safe product, pet friendly organic products are important to me. i got a 4L bottle for $55 kind of pricey but you will not regret it, i swear by this stuff! Use 2 parts zero tolerance 1 part water and mist on your plants. Repeat every 3-4 days for 2 week and the little bastards should be gone. Always keep a close eye on plants once you stop spraying because it you notice anything again at any point of the life cycle seedlings to last day of harvest spray every couple days again.

 

[zappa66]

My plants are in the 3-4 weeks of flowering and it looks like I have the Borg. At first I thoughts they were thripes but now I see webs. So…what is the consensus on products you can use during flower? Preferably on the cheap (aka not $55 lol). Has anyone tried the tobacco water yet?

 

[Gratephul4THC]

zappa66, one of the pco foggers cost me $6.95 and did a damn good job just be careful with how much you use.