Spider mites getting aggressive at 5th week flowering

[greentard]

Being a Noob, and not very experienced, I rarely give advice. But when it comes to no pest strips I have gained a little knowledge. I read what Oppie Yutts posted about them and tried them myself. I had Mites or Aphids or some other pest and used no pest strips and got rid of the problem in less than a week. Its not an Organic Pesticide, and I try to stay Organic, however pests can ruin everything and I recommend no pest strips.

[headshake]

Being a Noob, and not very experienced, I rarely give advice. But when it comes to no pest strips I have gained a little knowledge. I read what Oppie Yutts posted about them and tried them myself. I had Mites or Aphids or some other pest and used no pest strips and got rid of the problem in less than a week. Its not an Organic Pesticide, and I try to stay Organic, however pests can ruin everything and I recommend no pest strips.

you can get organic spray for spider mites.

-shake

[bloodbrother]

Try diatomacious earth. Basically it is a fossil that has a high liquid absorbtion capability and when the insect walks on it, it absorbs the water from their exoskeleton and causes them to die. Chemical composition is silica sodium magnesium and iron so likely will not overfert by adding it to the soil surface. Just be careful applying it maybe wear something over ur mouth (bandana, painter's mask) because it can be harmful to inhale or ingest certain types.

Edit: Hmm I guess they lay their eggs in the webbing so I don't know how well this would work but very good preventative method. However if they walk on soil sometimes this would be good.

[AudreySimple]

First off I am a noob when it comes to all of this so whether or not this will work tried and true for other people, I do not know.

I tried once before to have a few plants but they got completely infested with mites and we lost the battle. This time around I decided to try and outsmart the lil buggers and came up with a solution that did the trick. Cheap, easy, effective and smells great! Not sure if this is okay to be applied while they are flowering (my other ones never made it that far) so an expert reading this will have to comment on when/if it is safe to apply.

Here's what I did.

Large Batch

2 T Whole Cloves
2 Whole Cinnamon Sticks
2 T Chili Oil
4 C Water

Put it all in a pot, bring to a boil and turn it off to cool. (Should look like tea with oil floating on top) Once cool, strain (personally I put it all in the bottle and just add water to it when I get low or set the cloves and cinnamon sticks aside for another batch) and put in a spray bottle. Shake well then apply to plants by misting under the leaves first then all over a few times a day.

Make sure if you're doing this on plants inside that you transfer them to a bath tub or have a towel to prevent excess spray from getting on anything, it will stain.

Please feel free to leave me comments, etc. Would love to hear if this works for someone else, or not!

[kslawdog]

i am having the same problem but I caught them pretty soon. I killed about ten by hand. my plant is about 7 weeks old. I read that you can kill them on contact with a 1:1 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water. im going to try the no pest strips or whatever the hell its called.

[mikeyman]

Schultz Insect Spray
try something like this and wash you plant after

[mikeyman]

try something like this an wash you plant after
Schultz Insect Spray

[berryblue]

hey there guys i see your having problems with the lil shits (spider mites)

i have the same problem 3 weeks in to veg and i noticed i had them..
i went and bought a bottle of PLANT VITALITY 250ml for £30 from my local grow shop.. i have sprayed it 2 times now and i have not seen 1 mite in site. good thing about this is it actually helps the plant out my leaves are bigger and greeny aswell.. (i also sprayed the soil too.)

to keep on top of the situation im going to spray plants once a week up until i notice foilage of flowers.. and inbtween am going to use a hotbox Sulphur Vapouriser once a week aswell up until 2 weeks before harvest maybe 3 weeks to b on the safe side and aswell im going to purchase some of the NO PEST STRIPS iv heard alot about on here aswell to use through out...

heres a little more info on detrents for spider mites guys hope you find useful

The Two Spotted Spider Mite
The spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a tiny, eight-legged pest related to the spider and tick. Spider mites are members
of the arachnid class. The term "spider miteâ?� comes from their behavior of spinning fine silk webs on infested
leaves and new growth. Adults are normally green or yellow but turn red when day lengths shorten in the autumn.
Adults have an oval body, with two red eyespots near the head end of the body. Females usually have a large dark
blotch on each side and numerous bristles covering the legs and body. They look sort of like bristly black dots. Their
eggs are visible too â?? they are very tiny, white and are laid closely grouped together.
Spider Mites attack plants by stabbing the underside of the leaves and sucking out the sap, causing the cells to collapse
and die. As their numbers increase, the number of white speckles on the leaf increases and the leaf eventually
dies. Once the spider mites begin reproduction, a distinctive `webbing' forms, usually under the leaf and then at
the growing tip of the plant. The mites disperse from a plant of declining food quality on threads of webbing and
drift or are blown on to other plants.
What makes this pest truly difficult to control is its rate of reproduction. Each female will lay up to 12 eggs per day.
Mating is not required for egg production. At 70º F, these eggs will hatch in as few as three days and will develop into
adults in only 14 days. Adult females also ave the ability to go dormant for a time after the photoperiod (daily hours of light)
shortens, then re-emerge to lay more eggs a few weeks after the photoperiod lengthens again. That's one reason Spider Mites
keep reappearing crop after crop on indoor plants.
Life Cycle and environment
In a given colony of two-spotted spider mites, both adult males and females are present, however females usually outnumber
males three to one. This factor accounts for their high reproduction rate as a single female can lay on average
over 100 eggs in her life time. Females normally lay eggs on the underside of leaves. The rate at which a two
spotted spider mite develops from an egg to an adult is greatly dependent on environment. Their life cycle is accelerated
at higher temperatures. This is one of the reasons that these mites are such large greenhouse pests. In the
artificial environment of a warm lighted greenhouse or indoor grow space, the mites are able to reproduce quickly and
to be active throughout most or all of the year.
Integrated Pest Management:
We prefer a more holistic / organic method of controlling spider mites (or any pests for that matter). Predators, Neem
Oil, Azatrol, and organic sprays used in conjunction with each other is just as effective and less caustic to the enviornment
and to your prized plants. Lower temperatures will also help. The ideal temperature for Spider Mites to
thrive is 80 deg. F., so you will want to stay below this range if an infestation is found. It is also very important to
keep the growing area clear of dead plant material. Dead leaves should be removed from growing areas as soon as
possible, as they often contain mite colonies and clusters of eggs. Leaves showing large amounts of mite damage
should also be removed as there are often large populations in these areas. Below we list a variety of management
methods. Please feel free to ask us questions about any of these or any other methods / products that you have heard
of and we will help you find the best solution to the problem. If all else fails we have also listed a harsher miticide
to kill these little buggers DEAD.
Preferred Methods of Treatment and Control:
- Azatrol
- Neem Oil (Cold Pressed)
- Predators
- Pest Out
- Pyrethrin Bombs or Sprays
- Forbid (or Avid + Hexagon or Floramite!)
Azatrol
Azatrol is OMRI listed and Organic. You can feel safe applying this onto your plants all the way through their lifecycle. It will
not affect taste, aroma, or color. It works on bugs such as mites, aphids, root aphids, thrips, fungus gnats, caterpillars, etc.
Apply Azatrol as Follows:
In the beginning Spray once and then again 4-5 days later. After control is established continue to spray every other week.
Make sur full coverage is achieved when spraying. Both the tops and bottoms of the leaves need to be thoroughly sprayed.
If you are spraying plants that are in the fruiting stage and indoors, you need to worry about mold. Outside, mold is less of a
problem for plants because the plants dry out quicker. (When spraying indoors it is recommended to use a wetting agent,
such as Coco-Wet. We also recommend turning the lights off for a 3 hour period during your plants day time photoperiod, and
turning on all fans to facilitate them drying out.) You can spray up to the first 4 weeks into the fruiting/flowering stage, after
which you must take extreme precautions to avoid mold.
Quart size foliar application: In a quart, mix 3 tsp. of Azatrol and a few drops of wetting agent with distilled or RO water. Shake
and apply. Wait 5 days and reapply by increasing dose to 4.5 tsp of Azatrol with wetting agent and water. If spraying indoors,
we recommend raising the lights or spraying while the lights are off (for at least a 3 hour period.) Outdoors spray either early
in the morning or at dusk. For best results use within 24 hours.
Gallon size foliar application: In a gallon, mix 2 oz of Azatrol + a wetting agent with RO water. Shake and apply. Wait 4-5
days and then re-apply with 3 oz per Gallon + a wetting agent with RO water. If spraying indoors we recommend raising the
lights or spraying while the lights are off (For at least a 3 hour period.) Outdoors, spray either early in the morning or at dusk.
For best results use within 24 hours.
Please see separate Info Sheet on â??Azatrolâ?� for more instructions and information on this amazing Pesticide.
Neem Oil
Neem oil contains steroids (campesterol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol) and a plethora of triterpenoids of which Azadirachtin is
the most well known and studied. Neem Oil is another all-organic way to deal with Mites and almost any other bug infestation
out there. It is best used as a preventative, meaning that you should apply it before the problem begins as opposed to
after it is already there. Make sure to purchase â??cold-pressedâ?� Neem products such as Einstein Oil. Cold Pressed Neem Oils
contain a much higher concentration of the active compunds which repel and retard pests in your garden.) Mix neem oil with
a wetting agent (such as Coco-Wet) to thin out the spray and cause it to adhere to the leaves better. Spray every three days,
starting with the lowest concentration listed on the bottle and increasing the concentration every 3 days untill the highest concentration
is reached; at which point continue to spray at the highest concentration - every 3 days. Soon you will see a dark
leaf sheen or waxy coating develop on the leaves. This is a good thing. Neem will not hurt plants, it will only hurt the bugs.
Predators
Spider Mite Predators not only feed on Spider Mites and their eggs, they also breed twice as fast. Each Spider Mite Predator
sucks the juice out of about 5 Spider Mites a day, or 20 of their eggs. Used as directed, predators should noticeably begin to
gain control within 4 weeks and then continue until the Spider Mites are nearly or completely wiped out. Predators disappear
when the Spider Mites are gone.
SpiderMite Predator Types and Attributes:
Wide Temp Range, Moderate Humidity:
Phytoseiulus persimilis
Temperature Range: 55 - 105+ F. Humidity Range: 55 - 90%
Moderate Temp Range, High Humidity:
Neoseiulus californicus
Temperature Range: 55 - 90 F. Humidity Range: 60 - 90%
Widest Humidity and Temp Range:
Mesoseiulus longipes
Temperature Range: 55 - 105+ F. Humidity Range: 45 - 90%
Spider Mite Predators can be purchased as either a â??Triple Threatâ?� which includes all three species listed above, or as individual packages.
Make sure to get enough Predators to kill your infestation. Please consult with us to find out how many Predators that will be!
Predators (cont.)
Mite Destroyers eat all stages of Spider Mites, and find new infestation sites on their own by flying. But, it takes 4-6 weeks
to really get these guys going, so use Predator Mites as well for more immediate control and for cleaning up small "trouble
spots". Life cycle takes 18 days at 70 F. 100 Spider Mite Destroyers gets a colony started.
Other Predators include Lacewings and Pirate Bugs (Pirate Bugs are great at eating up Thrips! too.)
Also Note: If using Predators make sure to stop spraying any pesticide before application begins. (Every pesticide has a
specific amount of time before it is rendered ineffective. Make sure to wait that amount of time.) (You can also spray water
on the leaves for a few applicaitons before applying predators to â??washâ?� off any residual pesticides.)
Pyrethrin Bombs and Sprays
Our least favorite way to deal with Mites. Pyrethrin bombs are good for getting an infested room between crops to help â??sterlize
the enviornment.â?� They can cause burning on plants (especially if too much is applied.) Make sure to turn off the lights
when letting off a bomb. it is a good idea to raise them as well so that the next day when the lights come back on you will
lessen the chance of burning occuring. Pyrethrin lasts for 24 hours before it degrades to 1/2 of its original amount. It is
derived from crysanthanum flowers and generally has a low toxicity for humans. That being said, we still think you should
spray with a mask and gloves. Also note: Pyrethrins act only as a miticide and NOT an ovicide (they do not kill the eggs.)
You should always follow up one spray or â??Bombingâ?� with another 3 days after the first to kill newly hatched mites before
they mate again. As far as â??bombsâ?� go, Doktor Doom is softer on plants and should be used for mid-cycle applications. The
Pyrethrum TR â??Total Releaseâ?� Fogger is good for sterilizing the space in between crops.
Donâ??t Bug Me
Donâ??t Bug Me® is a fast, effective solution for most common garden pests. Because its active ingredient is Pyrethrum, which
is derived from chrysanthemum flowers, it can be applied up to the day of harvest on any fruit or vegetable. Donâ??t Bug Me®
kills aphids, whitefly, and other insects on contact by damaging their nervous systems, and even at lower levels it will keep
pests away. Best of all, Donâ??t Bug Me® breaks down quickly and does not persist in the environment.
Application of Donâ??t Bug Me
Dilute the RTU formula in the Spray Bottle by 50% with Purified Water. Save the remaining 50% of Donâ??t Bug Me Spray
for future use. Used in this way, you will not get any â??burningâ?� and you will get 2 bottles worth of RTU Spray.
Forbid (or Avid + Hexagon) (or previously FloraMite)
Forbid is a very serious mitacide that should not be treated lightly. If nothing else is working than this will. We prefer the
organic methods listed above in an overall integrated pest management program. But, sometimes you have to call in the
â??BIG GUNS.â?� We will not discuss Avid + Hexagon (Avid is the mitacide - Hexagon is the Ovacide - together they kill all.)
Forbid is the new killer on the block (1/8th - 1/4tsp./Gal). Forbid is our preference (newer and better killer), if a spray of
this calibur is needed. It is both a mitacide as well as a ovacide. (It will kill both the mites and their eggs.) Forbid is such
a specific killer that it will not kill any other bugs. . .In fact it will not even kill Predator Mites. Furthermore it will go through
the leaves from the top of the leaves to the bottom. Forbid has a 20 day residual lasting power. Only spray Forbid in the
Vegetative phase. When spraying make sure to follow these rules:
1. Use a pesticide Respirator. 2. Wear fluid proof gloves. 3. Wear long sleaves and pants and take off and wash as soon
as application is finished. 4. Wear eye protection.
Application of Forbid:
Into a 1 Gallon container mix 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of Forbid. Shake until homogenous. Next add enough drops of Indicate solution
(the pink stuff) to make the solution turn pink throughout. Pour solution into sprayer.
Other Methods of Control
Populations can also be reduced by spraying the underside of the leaves with a jet of water to break up the webs
and wash the mites off. Soap sprays are also very effective at controlling spider mites. Lower temperatures will
help. The ideal temperature for Spider Mites is 80 deg. F. It is also very important to keep the growing area
clear of dead plant material. Dead leaves should be removed from growing areas as soon as possible, as they
often contain mite colonies and clusters of eggs. Leaves showing large amounts of mite damage should also be
removed as there are often large populations in these areas.

[berryblue]

try this link if the thread is abit fustrating due to no paragraphs

http://www.igrowhydro.com/InfoSheets...iteControl.pdf

and im also going to keep my humidty up and keep the intake flowing while lights are out to iritate the lil shits and make them uncomfortable

[berryblue]

a little more research and this forum is helpful indeed

no pest strips, predatory mites?