These look like root aphids. They look like spider mites in the beg stages but are by far bigger than ANY spider mite I have ever seen. They are dark brown even black at first then the color lightens as they mature. Alot will grow wings and look like a fungus gnat but they are not the same thing. Like you said they crawl in the soil & come out of the bottom of the buckets and will gather by the thousands in your tubs but never seem to actually get on your plants or stems until they mature and start flying. Azatrol will work. 1 oz per gallon of water and use as a drench. No need to spray or mist the plant because they are not on the leaves. hope this helps. They came or migrated from Northern CA about a year ago. Prior to that nobody had ever seen them & alot of local hydro shops still have never seen them so they will be quick to say they are mites. Adult mites are very very small and hard to see without a micro scope. these look like over sized fleas at first then you say to yourself thats a spider mite. but spider mites are not that big and they don't grow wings.
distinguished Reviewed by distinguished on . HELP! I have spider mites! Please help everyone, I noticed my girls were wilting a little and i looked down and the soil was MOVING, i looked closer and found spider mites! I don't know what to do.. I sprayed them (and soil) with EcoSmart Insecticide Organic & Natural Home Pest Control Products by EcoSMART Says it is all natural and contains Peppermint Oil 2% Cinnamon Oil 1% Sesame Oil 1% Other Ingredients 96% (Water, Winder Green oil, Isopropanol, canola oil, lecthin, carbon dioxide) Rating: 5