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Posted 2w ago by @DreamMachine

Good morning Wednesday #TheWateringHole ๐Ÿซถ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒค๏ธ How is every...

Good morning Wednesday #TheWateringHole ๐Ÿซถ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒค๏ธ How is everyone doing in their neck of the woods? I, like quite a number of #greggers , have some pests in my indoor collection.

Broad mites. (Booo hiss!!)

They are minuscule, to a lot of people they are microscopic, 1/4 of a millimeter ๐Ÿค small , but I can see them. They look like little dust specks moving around without magnification. They are notoriously hard to contain because of their size. Not only can they come in on a plant, they are so small they can float on a breeze through a window screen. ๐Ÿฆ‹๐Ÿ

How did I find them? I had a few very strange new leaves on two hoyas. They curled in on themselves, lost their shiny luster, appeared grey, and fell off (with my tweezer into a baggie) at a mere touch. I shall post those leaves.

You can treat with neem, although it is a lot of labor involved, so this time and with the knowledgeable advice of @MusicalRedmint Susann, I am going PREDATORY MITES. This website DMV Beneficials is amazing.

https://dmvbeneficials.com/

They are a US-based service that offers free consultations to figure out what youโ€™re dealing with and what would be the best predatory bug to help.

If you have a pest situation and are feeling a little overwhelmed, reach out to them, they help people all over the states get connected with suppliers of good bugs. They also keep your budget in mind. And it seems like prices are not as bad as they used to be! I may be able to contain my pest issue for less than $50 ๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ.

And if you are in another country, I highly encourage you to look around for beneficial suppliers near you ๐Ÿฆ‹๐Ÿž

And if youโ€™re in Oregon or Washington, here is the supplier I will most likely be going with. You can check out their prices, only about $1 per sachet! https://www.evergreengrowers.com/

The mites Iโ€™m selecting are also microscopic, so you donโ€™t have to see them in your house if that freaks you out. (I shall be bringing out my microscope though, and watching with interest on the sidelines because I am a grade A Weirdo. ) ๐Ÿšฉ๐Ÿฟ๐Ÿฅณ๐Ÿ“ฃ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ‘

Well, howโ€™s everyone else doing today? ๐Ÿ˜œ๐Ÿ˜‚

โฑ๏ธWant to be notified of these posts when they come out? Ask to be added to the tags in the comments ๐Ÿ’•
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@DreamMachine What a pain! ๐Ÿ˜ž Sorry to hear but you're dealing with it like a champ! ๐Ÿ† My mother in law just texted me. She's got red spiders all over the Hoya I sent her for Mother's Day. She had it outside on her patio table and they attacked it! Unfortunately I don't think it's going to be a good outdoor candidate. Her 55+ complex backs right up to an open field that isn't maintained. Who knows what's crawling around out there! She made a mixture of dawn soap and water and sprayed it down and said she hasn't seen any more of them since. These pests are getting out of hand! Next time I'll turn her on to the Predatory bugs!!
@princesspitstop oh nooo ๐Ÿ˜ญ Iโ€™m guessing spider mites? Because actual spiders can be awesomeโ€” they eat a lot of pests and donโ€™t hurt our plants, but that situation doesnโ€™t seem like an ideal outdoor one ๐Ÿ˜–๐Ÿ˜–
@DreamMachine Yes ma'am, red spider mites. They love this hot, dry Texas weather. Their hobbies include attacking the undersides of leaves on tomatoes, squash, roses, ornamental shrubs and just about any other living plant. ๐Ÿซค They're just an pleasure to have around! Haha I shouldn't laugh. I could be next! ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ‘Ž In your words "Boo hiss!!"
@DreamMachine

Oh dear Nadia ๐Ÿ˜ณ ๐Ÿ˜• ๐Ÿ˜ž ๐Ÿ˜ข
I'm so sorry to hear about those horrible tiny, tiny critters that have attacked your beloved Hoyas.

Thanks โค๏ธ ๐Ÿ˜Š ๐Ÿซ‚ ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป SO MUCH for the information that you posted about beneficial fighters!

Am going to screenshot it so it's in my "permanent " files.

In my other message to you earlier this morning ๐ŸŒ„, I asked if you could keep us updated on the progress of those wonderful beneficial bugs.
Am fascinated by Nature...for every harmful living thing, she provides a remedy.

Hey...by the way...You're NOT weird!
After all, "Variety is the spice of life".
Learned from YouTube videos that h2o2, hydrogen peroxide, is an inexpensive source and helpful way to eliminate pests.
@DreamMachine Iโ€™ve been using beneficials since March from DMV and things were going great. So I decide to get a new plant. A month in and I say okay, you can be introduced to the family now. 3 days later I happened to look at her and saw a bunch of white stuff all over the plant. Took a few pics and asked DMV what it was. It was aphids! I almost lost my mind.

Anyway I just got a shipment of lacewings and nematodes to apply to all 300 of my plants. DMV said the lacewings will take them out completely. I may need to do a 2nd treatment to ensure they are gone.

I have also used persimilis for spider mites and that worked fast. Used nematodes too and within 3 days I saw no more gnats.

I really like the beneficials. Sometimes I can see them with my microscope. Itโ€™s fascinating to me.
@princesspitstop ughhh! ๐Ÿ‘Ž๐Ÿ‘Ž no fun at ALL!
@CutePolypremum I will ๐Ÿ’ฏ keep you posted on my journey with them! ๐Ÿ˜˜

I am most likely going with cucumeris mites, and my supplier contact told me that broad mites can be โ€œone of the easiest pests to control with biocontrol.โ€ ๐Ÿคž๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ๐Ÿคž

Here are some pictures as well, hope youโ€™re not grossed out easily! ๐Ÿ˜œ

First one is the weird new leaves I noticed on a baby hoya, then zoomed in on a bad leaf of another hoya, and the a super close-up of one of the mites.

Sincerely,
Your proud weirdo friend ๐Ÿ˜œ๐Ÿฅฐ
@PluckyUngnadia well, it can be, if used well, and for specific things. But I certainly hope youโ€™re not putting hydrogen peroxide on your plants leaves? ๐Ÿ˜ฑ
@Sonja GIRL ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ™ˆ๐Ÿ˜ญ nooo, you were so good too, not everyone does a whole month!! How rude of those aphids ๐Ÿ˜†

Iโ€™m so glad you already knew about DMV though, and knew what to do to get help!

And oooh, thatโ€™s on my list too!! the nematodes for the fungus gnats. That sounds BLISSFUL!!

Iโ€™m really excited to see what happens under my microscope too ๐Ÿ˜…๐Ÿฅณ
@DreamMachine I know right? An entire month I did it because I wanted to ensure nothing showed up even with my beneficials being there.

What I was using for maintenance was cucumeris and californicus sachets. But come to find out they wouldnโ€™t have helped anyway against aphids. So thereโ€™s that.

I am glad that I spotted it quickly, but how are you going to reveal yourself a month later and only after I put you with the family? This is what is puzzling me. I was trying to figure out what signs I missed but I canโ€™t think of any. The plant was healthy and thriving. I guess some things we will never know. But there is one thingโ€ฆ.I bought it from HD and I rarely if ever buy plants from them. It was a Cala Lily and just so beautiful. I kicked her @$$ outside and she will never return in my home ๐Ÿ˜‚
@DreamMachine you were able to notice them moving around with just your eye??After my first thrip arrival, mealie encounter, and now this, Iโ€™m going to be paranoid about every speck of dust! I bought a microscope, but Iโ€™m having trouble using it unless Iโ€™m squishing the leaf to a flat surface which is harder to do than it sounds! Also, please add me to #TheWateringHole so I can keep learning!
@SlinkyFivespot8 I have pretty good vision, and they just looked like the tiniest SPECK of dust moving. I was only looking at one leaf that I thought was wonky and so I was concerned. So please donโ€™t panic on my behalf! ๐Ÿ˜† No need to interrogate every dust bunny ๐Ÿคช

And agree, it can be hard to get a clear picture. I had to snip the suspected leaves off, and then I placed them on a tray so I could hold the leaf firmly while I looked.

And yes, we will add you to #TheWateringHole !! @princesspitstop @debbiedo @MamaLinne @MariansOasis @RefinedSandwort please add @SlinkyFivespot8 Lauren to your lists ๐Ÿฅฐ
@Sonja right?? They mustโ€™ve been the sneakiest ninja aphids ever ๐Ÿฅท Theyโ€™re usually so obvious, especially if youโ€™ve been checking a plant in quarantine!! ๐Ÿ˜ฒ
Very intriguing. I want to know everything that happens and yes pictures. I know they are small but just maybe ๐Ÿค”
@FitBrowallia will do!! Right now Iโ€™m back and forth with my beneficial supplier contact just waiting to hear if it is confirmed broad mite and then weโ€™ll go from there!!
So last week I was trying to unfurl this big girl so I could possibly get another trellis in her pot. She has outgrown her other one. So the leaf could have gotten misshapen during that ๐Ÿค” but I still can't figure out the hole on that leaf. ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™€๏ธ My hubby would have an absolute cow if I released bugs in the house. He's complaining about the 1 gnat that is flying around the house.
@DreamMachine Please keep us all updated on your mission to eliminate the pests!
We need a microscope attachment on your phone camera, stat!
@DreamMachine

OMG ๐Ÿ˜ฒ ๐Ÿ˜ฑ!!!
I'd like to be added. @HummingbirdMint so sorry you're going through this! I will definitely read the article! Thank you!!! ๐Ÿฆ‹๐Ÿœ๐Ÿชด๐ŸŒต๐ŸŒป๐Ÿž
I found one, ya know there is an app for everything!
@DreamMachine Great closeup pics!!!! And info โ„น๏ธ on beneficials is so interesting too! Sorry you have to deal with mites ๐Ÿ˜ž. Seems itโ€™s the summer of bugs ๐Ÿ›๐Ÿœ๐ŸฆŸ๐Ÿชฒ๐Ÿชณ๐Ÿ•ท๏ธ for all of us๐Ÿ˜’๐Ÿ˜‘. I live all your info and insights. @Sonja you too! Thanks for posting your experiences ๐Ÿ‘. It helps a lot deciding what direction to go in.
@DreamMachine

Hey cutie patootie!

Please make sure to store your Nematodes in a cool, dark place.
I think they have a shelf life of 6 months or less.

I ruined about half of mine because I hadn't done proper research! ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜‘๐Ÿ˜ถ
@Sonja @DreamMachine Yes! What signs did I miss with my recent mealy bugs on the Hoya and thrips on too many others ๐Ÿ˜•๐Ÿคทโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ˜ตโ€๐Ÿ’ซ. For the thrips Iโ€™m pretty much certain they were in the amaryllis bulbs I got at Christmas. I first saw them there and booted their butts ๐Ÿ‘ outside! Too late though as theyโ€™d made their way to a tasty orchid and more. The only explanation for the Hoya mealies is I was, but no longer ๐Ÿ™ˆ, keeping her in on a window seat right next to French doors to the backyard. Perfect light but also a hop skip & a jump for passing mealies perhaps ๐Ÿค” ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™€๏ธ.
@Jho so I ended up donating that other one. 1๏ธโƒฃ It was too hard to balance my phone, focus the viewfinder and take a picture without major wobble. 2๏ธโƒฃ So I got this kids microscope. Itโ€™s greatโ€ฆexcept it doesnโ€™t want to connect to my computer. So I have to take a picture of the picture with my phone ๐Ÿ˜’ 3๏ธโƒฃ4๏ธโƒฃ5๏ธโƒฃ
@planthoe40 are you talking about this hole? If so I donโ€™t think that is pest damage. It might be mechanical damage when it was unfurling, or even possibly edema of some kind.
@HummingbirdMint thank you my dear! And you are already added. I changed your tag to your new one. Did you get a notification?
@MariansOasis oh good!! Glad it helps. I also really appreciate reading about others experiences, good and bad!
@planthoe40 oops, forgot my screenshot ๐Ÿ™„
@CutePolypremum oh yes indeedy! Good morning Joanie โ˜€๏ธ๐Ÿค—

When did you try nematodes? They can be so incredibly helpful, when stored properly ๐Ÿคญ
@DreamMachine

Last year...probably the first day of โ˜€๏ธ ๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ โ›ฑ๏ธ ๐Ÿ– โ˜€๏ธ Summer.

They're back again. Lovin my Golden Pathos, False Aralia, and Rattlesnake plant.
Umph
@CutePolypremum ahh rightโ€”fungus gnats?
@DreamMachine

Oops !
Yup...the dreaded fungus gnats.
They even managed to slip their way into our kitchen compost.
Naughty, pesky critters!

But, on the bright side, it could be a lot worse?
@CutePolypremum same, I have some fruit flies around my compost and a few fungus gnats in my plants ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™€๏ธ

Fungus gnats went way down in number when I reduced my watering frequency, but still there always has to be that ONE that flies straight into my face ๐Ÿ™ˆ (Theyโ€™re attracted to the co2 we exhale) ๐Ÿคช
@DreamMachine
Thanks for the reminder about less watering.
I've gotten lazy this past month and haven't been so particular or careful.
(I'm confessing my plant sins to you today!). ๐Ÿ˜˜๐Ÿ˜…

Yup... Fungus gnats like my face too and the occasional stink bug will attach itself to me ๐Ÿ˜ถ
@DreamMachine yes that is the hole.
@DreamMachine there are so many kind of pests you can be so unlucky to "befriend"๐Ÿ™ˆ
Broadmites, spider-mites, flatmites... And they are all so tiny๐Ÿ˜ญ

Keep us updated on the predator mites๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘
Oh, and speaking of benefical mites. I have some rove mites occouring naturally in my soil that do attack fungus gnats, although they are not very efficient๐Ÿคฃ I have a video of one nibbeling a gnat larvae๐Ÿ˜†
@MockingJay ok wow, that is an excellent picture. ๐Ÿคฏ๐Ÿ˜ฑ Iโ€™ve been liking my new microscope, but it wonโ€™t connect to my computer ๐Ÿ˜–๐Ÿ˜‘ So any pictures I share Iโ€™m taking a picture of the picture and thatโ€™s just no good.

(What is this? โ€˜Try one of every available microscope month?โ€™ ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™€๏ธ )
@princesspitstop hi there, this is exactly why Iโ€™m scared to put any of my plants outdoors.
@DreamMachine hi Nadia, I believe you are the one that said something about this microscope at some point? Maybe not but do you know anything about this? I just got it. It was an expensive thatโ€™s why I got it. Are there any tricks? Always looking for a short shortcut, you know. Heehee
@Luckeecharm1 hi Tina! I got this one (1๏ธโƒฃ) but I canโ€™t connect it to my computer to download the pictures, arg! After seeing the crystal clear image of Verinikaโ€™s @MockingJay Iโ€™m thinking about getting one like this instead (2๏ธโƒฃ)

Iโ€™m not familiar with yours, but does it go up to 1000x magnification?
@Luckeecharm1 No kidding right? They're lurking around every corner!
Oh. Yes, dmv beneficials. I knew I had forgotten something in my recommendations to you. I had stumbled across them at sometime and had them kept in the back of my mind (with envy, as usual since they seem exclusively a US thing) but forgotten about them when I talked to you about the mites ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™€๏ธ all the happier you stumbled across them anyway.
Had to chuckle at your mite guy's comment about the broadmites. That explains my experience perfectly. Weeks of months of literal fight to the death and the complete and immediate broadmite annihilation after days of cucumeris ๐Ÿ˜€
@SlinkyFivespot8 don't be. Like Nadia said, the damage is pretty distinct. So just go by that, notice curly leaves, damaged wonky nodes on hoyas, scratches like thrips damage, porous, darkened stems, dropping leaves, slow growth when you think it's underperforming. And then check and be glad we might even see them once we start reeeeally looking. If you still feel uneasy and dint trust your eyes, preventatively get yourself a jeweller's loupe with good magnification, and you are golden.
As long as you notice those signs above and don't dismiss them, early on, and then just take a closer look and see the little meanies, you will still notice outbreaks before it gets really bad. As long as you don't have any other problems they could spread around like a viruses plant they initially don't do a lot of damage.
Just take it as advice from a person that's very prone to pest paranoia herself and is still trying to keep her sanity intact in spite of numerous close encounters with microscopic- sized little ๐Ÿคฌ ๐Ÿ™ƒ
@CutePolypremum have you tried CPs for the gnats yet? I still maintain that my best decision ever on this app was to listen to @Seymour's advice back in the day, when he convinced me to give carnivorous plants another shot. Droseras and pings are the way to go and I'll never ever go back as long as I have plants. Pretty, next to no effort in upkeep and highly efficient at keeping fungus gnat populations down to an absolute minimum. Apart from the initial (low) expense when buying them, and some demineralized/ distilled water every now and again, they cost next to nothing and even multiply over time so you can cover the whole collection after a while with just one or two initial plants if you are patient. And just tell me this isn't more satisfying (or in the case of sundews even prettier) than sticky traps or similar solutions.
@MusicalRedmint

Good afternoon dear Susann!
I feel honored that you responded. I always read your questions and answers with enthusiasm because they are interesting and delightful ๐Ÿ˜Š!

I was think about dear @seymour early this morning ๐ŸŒ„. He helped me so much when I was just starting out with growing house plants ๐Ÿชด and I consider him to be my first mentor.

Well...about CP.
I actually don't have a centimeter of space left in my tiny apartment and am giving away some of The Tribe to make room for the rest of the gang, who are growing like crazy.

Also, to be honest, CP creeps me out!

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me.

Wishing you an awesome weekend!
@MusicalRedmint oh my goodness, my eye was caught by that perfect spiral of a bloom spike!! ๐Ÿ˜ฑ๐Ÿ˜ฑ๐Ÿ˜ Okay that has to be my next purchase, not fancy philodendrons or monsteras that get huge (I will totally have space I tell youโ€ฆmy kitchen/dining is practically plant free and untapped plant real estate [because of north facing windows] but I just need some grow lights in there! If I got rid of that silly chalkboard, wall clock, art, I would have 10 feet of vertical wall space ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿฅณ) I forgot what we were talking aboutโ€ฆoh yeah! So logically, I basically have unlimited space for a ping or drosera! Right!
@CutePolypremum oh sweet Joanie, I shall have to find you the Attenborough documentary about CP. let his voice lull you into putting one by your compost ๐Ÿ˜œ
@MusicalRedmint @SlinkyFivespot8 and thank you Susann, you explained that a bit more eloquently than I did. I didnโ€™t want to scare anyone to be ultra-paranoid about dust motes, (of all people that would be the end for me, with 3 humans and 5 cats in an old house ๐Ÿ˜ท) it was the leaf damage I saw first. So Lauren just like Susann said, get a jewelers loupe, ๐Ÿ” theyโ€™re very inexpensive, and if you see strange or unexplained leaf damage then you can take a closer look.

Iโ€™m leaving this picture of a couple hoya leaves again because this is what I saw and made me look closely. Weird leathery un-glossy new leaves, that started curling in on themselves, and they fell off the plant at a touch.
@DreamMachine @CutePolypremum Iโ€™m dealing with fungus gnatties too ๐Ÿ™„ I was keeping the soil moist for my succulent and cactus cuttings. The cuttings look great thankfully, sadly so do the gnats ๐Ÿ˜‚ Iโ€™m back to normal watering now and they seem to be slowing down. I bought some mosquito bits just in case.
@MockingJay Wow, cool video!
@debbiedo you can get beneficial nematodes for fungus gnats too!! Or just get some carnivorous plants as I am doing here shortly ๐Ÿ˜
@DreamMachine oh my goodness! Iโ€™ve never heard of this bug group before; definitely going to be looking into it. Thatโ€™s simply wild they are so small and hard to see. That freaks me out, what else is crawling around ๐Ÿ˜‚ doing the butterflies ๐Ÿฆ‹ and ladybugs ๐Ÿž is such a great idea, ๐Ÿ’ก if I can say two things, first check your local nurseries, donโ€™t order your ladybugs online, they generally arenโ€™t the ones natural to your state. So local nurseries usually carry your stateโ€™s ladybugs (as online is generally ladybugs shipped and bred from Asian countries and donโ€™t have natural predators in your stateโ€™s environment. - just generally information for anyone who doesnโ€™t know); and second make sure you have milkweed available for your butterflies ๐Ÿฆ‹ they have to feed on it when certain stages of your growing cycles. Iโ€™ve introduced both before to my plants and my neighbors did it pretty much yearly growing up. ๐Ÿ”
@Idplantthat you mean the broad mite bug group? Also in that family are cyclamen mites.

Flat mites and spider mites are in the same class as the first two I mentioned, but they are each in a different taxonomic family.

Or was it the predators? My soon to be new best buddies the cucumeris mites that Iโ€™m going to start breeding myself because apparently I have too much time on my hands? ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿคช
@CutePolypremum that makes sense. Every body has their own bottom line. I, for example even thought for a while, I wouldn't be able to stomach any beneficials (and now look at me ๐Ÿ˜…). And I found pings in particular very unsightly, almost worse than sticky traps.
After your answer I even thought I had a feeling of deja vu. Like I already recommended them to you once before. If so, please forgive me for doing so again. It's not that I don't listen, I'm just even more scatterbrained right now than usual (and that's saying something).
Thank you for your extremely kind words. You know me, just sometimes a bit passionate and gushing on about niche topics ๐Ÿ˜…
Yeah, I still contend the orchid and cp parts of Greg have a Seymour shaped hole. And everything else as well. I mean, the amount of new hashtags alone that he established and maintained until they took off....
@DreamMachine right? Sundews in particular can be so gorgeous. Especially when sunstressed. Especially with dew, when the light hits it just right. Sadly i lost some of mine during winter. And any effort to get my hands on similar ones again without ordering from special cp sites, ended horribly. I swear, plant and gardening stores should be forbidden to sell cps (or orchids for that matter).
Bought several since spring and they all died within the week. I took the halfway passable ones (many of the other displayed ones were already showing huge swaths of gray mold), but even those weren't salvageable. Not one little cp buddy. With a bit of luck, the new batch of sundews this time might pull through though. ๐Ÿคž
Have fun shopping ๐Ÿ™ƒ and building the shelves and then maybe some weeks later the annex that is bound to be necessary at assume point from the sound of it.
I'm off looking for that recommended D.A. documentary ๐Ÿ˜€
@MusicalRedmint @CutePolypremum here it is! The classic, Kingdom of Plants! Not *just * about cp though ๐Ÿค—

https://youtu.be/9tgpy9yQF8s?is=5fTymrHWOdmJBTyU
@DreamMachine thanks ๐Ÿ˜Š will try to put it on my list and maybe even remember to watch it ๐Ÿ˜…
For small pest like aphids and mealy bugs, I use neem oil. It is completely organic.