spider mite problems

[dw1]

Alright guys, hoping someone can give me some advice please?
I've got 4 auto jack herra x AK's at 7 weeks from first leafs. 2 in soil and 2 in dwc. Noticed 1 or 2 black dots on underside of leafs around 2 weeks ago and only just managed to get predators today. Now the worst affected is on the 2 in soil that are a bit further on the the big 1 in the dwc buckets. I'm not sure if I'm ok to just go and put the predators on them all or not, and if there are still live bugs on my buds when its harvest time am I still ok to chop them down and smoke them? Any advice is much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[dw1]

Thanks for advice.

 

[Weedman30]

You only want 1-3 predators per plant. They will eat the mites in no time.

 

[dw1]

Thanks for your reply weedman. I got a bottle of 2000 and applied them evenly over 2 small plants and 2 really big plants. That was 3 days ago and now I feel like my girls are infested with spider mite but can hardly find any predators now, maybe a couple every few leafs I check. The plants are all between 2 and 4 weeks from the end. And I'm worried I'm still going to have bugs all over my buds at harvest time and if so can they still keep eating once everything is dry? Thanks again for any impute and advice. I'm really not sure just how bad spider mite is.

 

[Rebel]

What kind of predators did you get? Lady bugs? If it were me i would unleash more predators. That spray may have killed your predators as well. Try just the predators and no spray. How much longer before you chop?

I have to look up your additional questions on the spider mites... Unless Waira can chime in before me... I'll get back with you on that...

Oh I see you have 2-4 weeks before chop... You should be fine if you can get the predators to stay alive...should clean house in no time...

Edit: I have done a bit of research on spider mites and from what I understand, yes sprays kill both mite and predator mites. Predator mites are more effective than lady bugs, from what I read, indoors... Lady bugs are better for greenhouses supposedly... However point being... Ditch the spray for two reasons... One it also kills the predators like I said and two since you are 2-4 weeks from harvest you want to avoid any spray on your bud. 3 weeks and on in flowering is not recommended for sprays because they remain on the buds and you never want to smoke buds with any sprays like that on them...

Hope that helps. Best of luck friend.

 

[dw1]

Thanks rebal, I can't find any predators now at all and a lot of spider mite. I'm not sure how badly its affected things tho as I'm having so much trouble with my PH at the moment as well and that's really causing problems. I can't keep my buckets above 5.1 for some reason. I'm so close to the end now tho so all I can do is keep changing them more often for now. All I'm really worried about now is if the bugs will just die as my plants dry or not and if I'll be ok to smoke them? Thanks again

 

[A4]

If you have a couple of weeks before harvest you can use neem oil and that will keep them under control to get you through harvest. My experience is I have sprayed with as little as 5 days but come back the following day with distilled water and wet the leaves back down to wash off the residue. Neem will kill most on contact but you need to direct your spray mainly at the underside of the leaves and try to keep as much away from the buds as possible. Make sure you keep your RH low(~40) so the air will help evaporation.

 

[Waira]

dw1- damn vermin!!... Okay, first thing to clear up mate- you mentioned black dots/specks on the undersides of the leaves,... that's a strong sign of thrips, not mites,... their turds are too tiny to show like that,... are you certain you have mites? Is the underside looking kinda silvery, leaves going pale maybe,... a magnifier would be very helpful for you to spot them with certainty,... pics for us are critical! Size: mites are super tiny, as you likely know, they could ride on this period-(.)- like a horse,.... thrips-(-) this dash would be a sizable one, and of similar shape,... thrips are highly mobile, their damage is similar to mites as well, and as often as not, can be found on both top and bottom of leaves,... mites strongly prefer to stay underneath,... They both will avoid the buds proper, feeding on leaves with little to no trichomes (terpines/resin are toxic to them... this is one reason why the plant makes them!), so no worries about bug crusted buds! :no: they will abandon the buds anyway during drying, as the juices stop flowing....*** So, get us pics, as close up as you can manage, or look up both pests online or in a book so you can ID them readily if you scope it out with a magnifier,... thrips may not be hanging around at any one spot...again, they are highly mobile.... I get them outside without fail, and seldom do I catch them at the scene of the crime, at the time! ..I do find small juvies though, they aren't quite as fast and squirrely as adults (which can fly, BTW),... As advised, neem will work, but there are others that won't leave as much residue,... more details when we confirm exactly what you have, okay?

**** Rebstah!..come on, say it with me,... th-thh-thhuuruh-thruhruhippss,... :roflcry: ( inside joke guys, Reb is scared for life by them!)

 

[Rebel]

The brown cave star fish twitches at the sight or sound of em... :rc: LMAO!