Wtf are these little tiny monsters??? Tiny yellowish ugly basterds in coco

[topset1976]

Hello all I just noticed a bunch of these tiny probably 1/2mm long bugs about a half an inch under the soil in the coco.I use 10 gallon smartpots. I had root aphids but these are diffetrent. I just harvested a few (I'm perpetual)and inspected the rootball and found a ton of these just under the top of the soil and all the way down. I checked them under a microscope and they have 6 legs, fat oval body, long antina, and a side ways chomping mouth. All are yellowish. I just drenched with azatrol, botaniguard, and gnatrol at various times in the last few weeks and these things are still around. I don't see any nats or root aphids like I had though. To soon after the other attacks of these new things ate causing issues. I run coco/perrlite and cutting edge nutes. I only see these in flower. I hand water some and use ebb n flow and I see these in both. Help help help and thanks

 

[PoweredByLove]

looks like soil mites to me. they breakdown dead matter. completely beneficial.

 

[Weird]

predator mites, eat bugs that eat plants

 

[Weird]

best way to test soil for nasty arthropods is to cut a potato in half and lay it cut down on your soil and scope it a day or two later

root feeders and the arthropods that eat them should make themselves apparent

those mites are very good at keep gnat populations in check as well as other stuff

 

[topset1976]

wow actual good news! thanks I have been meaning to do the potato thing. tomorrow for sure. there must be a lot of dead stuff for them to eat cause there sure is a lot in a few pots. thanks again...i'll update with potato test

 

[MJPassion]

Hypoaspis miles

 

[topset1976]

Wow so I guess the obvious question is should I spread then to all my pots? There are a ton of these things in the top couple inches of my 10 gallon smart pots filled with coco. Once I turn a bit of the top of the soil over the soil is crawling with those things. I only see then in a couple plants and those are 7 weeks in flower and look healthy. I had a issue with root aphids but looks cause now. I hahave no idea where these things came from. Should I spread then to all my pots? My brain just won't let me actually spread bugs to Lotte plants on purpose. Give me strength

 

[Weird]

yes, or youc an buy them, they cost about 70 - 80 $ for 10k iirc

 

[Mikell]

Weird nailed it.

S. scimitus (formerly H. miles) feeds on soil pests.

You could move a little medium from pot to pot, but it is unnecessary. They range out for prey, it would only be an issue if pots are kept well apart and floors kept bone dry (lack of free water/prey for hydration).