Hi, my lovely Greggers. Please send love and strength. O...
Hi, my lovely Greggers. Please send love and strength. Or, if that's not your thing, a bottle of a good single malt will do as well, I'm not picky.
Mites.
False spider mites.
With big hoya collection, after having moved plants around everywhere.
And maybe having spotted some signs of virused plants as well (please, please, no )
Need I say more?
I could really kick myself for my hybris here. (So maybe forget the whisky, transatlantic kicks from all of you would maybe be more appropriate.
I've noticed signs of the infestation for a long time now. But every time, I checked the plants I suspected, (seemingly) diligently. With my more practical magnifying app/glass. Nothing. additionally, I had high trust in my seller, had a comfortably established rest predatory mite population in some pots and am absolutely pedantic about quarantine (which, of course, is basically useless if you don't see/ acknowledge the problem when it presents during that time).
Can any of you give a better example for false confidence?
I even traded some plants recently, so I even checked those particular ones diligently (I thought).
Now I noticed signs of weird dechlorinated leaves spreading, which before I had attributed to a nutrient deficiency. Virus? Nah. Where would that have come from on my absolutely treasured bella PES-03. I've had her for v long, I never share water, no signs of pests, so no plant sap exchange.
...
...
Again, feel free to kick me. Anytime.
Yesterday I saw signs of those spots on other plants where the deficiency theory makes no sense, got freaked out and finally took out my jewelers loupe. Because logic hasn't failed me completely. if spread of virus, then sap transfer. If sap transfer, then pests (in my case). And if undetected pests then a) pests tiiiiiiny and b) I'm truly fuuuuuu.... well, you know. Fundamentally angry with myself.
Gosh, those things are tiny. Undetectable by best magnification my very solid glasses could offer. Even after I knew where to look because I could just make them out with the jewelers loupe. I think part of the reason for my false confidence was my experience with broad mites and some flat mites on a tomato plant a while back. With my glasses on both of those could be spotted with the magnifiers. The tiny bit the broad mites are bigger, made all the difference. And even the flat mite seemed to be a softly bigger species, so that the stark contrasting red dot could be spotted.
This time? Nah.
And to give me a great start fighting this problem: I planned to get up early to get myself a truckload of predatory mites before work, but I overslept after a sleepless night. Maybe I'll manage tomorrow. Or not. Things have been stressful as is.
If you've followed this rant along this far, thanks. I needed to vent. Don't forget to send virtual kicks.
I will deceptively attach a picture of a rose because a) hoyas make me sad rn, b) I don't think you would appreciate a huge flat mite picture in your feed c) that rose was gorgeous and d) who cares, I myself can't see it anyway. For me, Greg's been completely without pictures for a while now. Again.
#pestcontrol #hoya #hoyahangout #mitesarestupid #sadplant #formitessake
Mites.
False spider mites.
With big hoya collection, after having moved plants around everywhere.
And maybe having spotted some signs of virused plants as well (please, please, no )
Need I say more?
I could really kick myself for my hybris here. (So maybe forget the whisky, transatlantic kicks from all of you would maybe be more appropriate.
I've noticed signs of the infestation for a long time now. But every time, I checked the plants I suspected, (seemingly) diligently. With my more practical magnifying app/glass. Nothing. additionally, I had high trust in my seller, had a comfortably established rest predatory mite population in some pots and am absolutely pedantic about quarantine (which, of course, is basically useless if you don't see/ acknowledge the problem when it presents during that time).
Can any of you give a better example for false confidence?
I even traded some plants recently, so I even checked those particular ones diligently (I thought).
Now I noticed signs of weird dechlorinated leaves spreading, which before I had attributed to a nutrient deficiency. Virus? Nah. Where would that have come from on my absolutely treasured bella PES-03. I've had her for v long, I never share water, no signs of pests, so no plant sap exchange.
...
...
Again, feel free to kick me. Anytime.
Yesterday I saw signs of those spots on other plants where the deficiency theory makes no sense, got freaked out and finally took out my jewelers loupe. Because logic hasn't failed me completely. if spread of virus, then sap transfer. If sap transfer, then pests (in my case). And if undetected pests then a) pests tiiiiiiny and b) I'm truly fuuuuuu.... well, you know. Fundamentally angry with myself.
Gosh, those things are tiny. Undetectable by best magnification my very solid glasses could offer. Even after I knew where to look because I could just make them out with the jewelers loupe. I think part of the reason for my false confidence was my experience with broad mites and some flat mites on a tomato plant a while back. With my glasses on both of those could be spotted with the magnifiers. The tiny bit the broad mites are bigger, made all the difference. And even the flat mite seemed to be a softly bigger species, so that the stark contrasting red dot could be spotted.
This time? Nah.
And to give me a great start fighting this problem: I planned to get up early to get myself a truckload of predatory mites before work, but I overslept after a sleepless night. Maybe I'll manage tomorrow. Or not. Things have been stressful as is.
If you've followed this rant along this far, thanks. I needed to vent. Don't forget to send virtual kicks.
I will deceptively attach a picture of a rose because a) hoyas make me sad rn, b) I don't think you would appreciate a huge flat mite picture in your feed c) that rose was gorgeous and d) who cares, I myself can't see it anyway. For me, Greg's been completely without pictures for a while now. Again.
#pestcontrol #hoya #hoyahangout #mitesarestupid #sadplant #formitessake
17
@MusicalRedmint I’m SO fuuuu…undamentally sorry to hear this! Sending positive mite-ass-kicking vibes your way 💪
@debbiedo thank you. As long as it's "only" the mites, I'll try to be optimistic. With my high humidity I should be able to at least control the population using the beneficials. (Though I'm not sure I'll get rid of them completely, because I'm not sure I want to pay for several repeat treatments just in case. And there will be no way to check every leaf for remnants.)
My big big fear is the virus. If it is indeed one, then I already will have to ditch plants worth close to 100€ (and lots and lots of love). Probably more, because it can stay asymptomatic for a while.
But regardless of exactly the acknowledgement above that my denial was a big part of the problem, I'm still forcing myself to not jump to the final conclusion. The dechlorinated spots in question don't look like any more damage and I cannot spot any abrasions that would explain it. But maybe still? Maybe those specific leaves somehow reacted differently to the little literal suckers? And the mites on those plants are artistically inclined, going for beautiful mosaic shapes and circle patterns on their feeding spots?
Anywhooo, I keep babbling, helps me to avoid addressing the problem. 😅
Thanks for the concern, though you might have misunderstood the direction the kicks were supposed to go. Tbh the mites were only mite-ing. And once the reinforcements arrive, they will need to enter the rink anyway. I'm only sad, I won't be able to watch the games this time around. The broad mites last time were big enough, I could literally watch the fights. Which, truth be told, was very cathartic.
My big big fear is the virus. If it is indeed one, then I already will have to ditch plants worth close to 100€ (and lots and lots of love). Probably more, because it can stay asymptomatic for a while.
But regardless of exactly the acknowledgement above that my denial was a big part of the problem, I'm still forcing myself to not jump to the final conclusion. The dechlorinated spots in question don't look like any more damage and I cannot spot any abrasions that would explain it. But maybe still? Maybe those specific leaves somehow reacted differently to the little literal suckers? And the mites on those plants are artistically inclined, going for beautiful mosaic shapes and circle patterns on their feeding spots?
Anywhooo, I keep babbling, helps me to avoid addressing the problem. 😅
Thanks for the concern, though you might have misunderstood the direction the kicks were supposed to go. Tbh the mites were only mite-ing. And once the reinforcements arrive, they will need to enter the rink anyway. I'm only sad, I won't be able to watch the games this time around. The broad mites last time were big enough, I could literally watch the fights. Which, truth be told, was very cathartic.
@MusicalRedmint no kicks from me Susann. We've ALL been there, so try not to beat yourself up too much! It's one of those "live and learn" type things. Or one of those "hindsight is 20/20" type things. I don't know of any plant person who caught on early they were dealing with pests the first time around. It's damn near impossible to spot the signs unless you've already been there and done that, especially with the teeny tiny pests that are so difficult to see. Your plants will be fine until you're able to get the predatory mites. In the meantime, here's a virtual single malt to kick back and enjoy while the mites do their thing 🥃
@MusicalRedmint I’m intentionally sending my kicks to the mites and virus and NOT to you ☺️ @stephonicle is so right that we’ve ALL been there: missing the early warning signs, not seeing what we didn’t want to see, or flat out ignoring what we know we saw 👀
If it’s not too depressing, I’d like to see the damage so that I can better learn what to watch for ❤️📝
If it’s not too depressing, I’d like to see the damage so that I can better learn what to watch for ❤️📝
@stephonicle thank you for the kind words. Sadly, the kicks are non-negotiable in my case, though.
That's exactly my point: I *did* spot the signs. Several times over. On several plants on several distinct occasions. And each time, my mind, seeing the signs, immediately went to "oh no. So i have flat mites? Broad mites? Better check, it definitely looks like them". I knew.
But I couldn't be bothered to dust off the correct tool and maybe squint through a lens for two minutes to confirm. And additionally to that laziness, I even used the spot-checks I *did* do with knowingly inferior tools to tell myself: "hmm. It walks like a duck, it quacks like a duck, soooo, because when I looked at it at night without glasses and it didn't look like a duck, it probably isn't." I then spent a lot of effort finding out what animals in the world walk and quack and swim like ducks, but aren't, in fact, ducks. You know, because somehow, those duck-like things kept appearing. 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️so, yes, kicks are very much in order.
However, in lieu of those well-deserved kicks, I will take that whisky for now. It is appreciated and very much necessary after my conversation with my predatory mite dealer. Apparently i will have to get new ones that might also go for my beloved and trusted cucumeris mites. Which I hate. They don't deserve that after all they have c done for me. I feel like a monster. Maybe I can try to save some and culture them myself? (You know, because that is, what I need right now. Another side project 🤦♀️)
Regardless: 🥃 thanks for the drink (why the ice, though? I think i need to talk to the emoji people 🤬 big emoji seems to also need some kicking). and thanks again for the words of encouragement.
That's exactly my point: I *did* spot the signs. Several times over. On several plants on several distinct occasions. And each time, my mind, seeing the signs, immediately went to "oh no. So i have flat mites? Broad mites? Better check, it definitely looks like them". I knew.
But I couldn't be bothered to dust off the correct tool and maybe squint through a lens for two minutes to confirm. And additionally to that laziness, I even used the spot-checks I *did* do with knowingly inferior tools to tell myself: "hmm. It walks like a duck, it quacks like a duck, soooo, because when I looked at it at night without glasses and it didn't look like a duck, it probably isn't." I then spent a lot of effort finding out what animals in the world walk and quack and swim like ducks, but aren't, in fact, ducks. You know, because somehow, those duck-like things kept appearing. 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️so, yes, kicks are very much in order.
However, in lieu of those well-deserved kicks, I will take that whisky for now. It is appreciated and very much necessary after my conversation with my predatory mite dealer. Apparently i will have to get new ones that might also go for my beloved and trusted cucumeris mites. Which I hate. They don't deserve that after all they have c done for me. I feel like a monster. Maybe I can try to save some and culture them myself? (You know, because that is, what I need right now. Another side project 🤦♀️)
Regardless: 🥃 thanks for the drink (why the ice, though? I think i need to talk to the emoji people 🤬 big emoji seems to also need some kicking). and thanks again for the words of encouragement.
@MusicalRedmint aww…curse words. 🫠🫠😵💫🙈 🌬️🥃
Hey! My emoji doesn’t have any ice, here you go my dear, imagine it neat, and iceless while the world comes crashing down. ☄️
My hands are not quite woken up yet but, oh my goodness, I can only imagine one possible explanation. Your cucumeris mites have succumbed to pressure and have opened a cooperative inclusive art school, and they are accepting scholarships to any minute and hipster acarines with big hopes and dreams. They only need someone to believe in them, Susann. 💫 Are you THAT someone? 🥹✨
Hey! My emoji doesn’t have any ice, here you go my dear, imagine it neat, and iceless while the world comes crashing down. ☄️
My hands are not quite woken up yet but, oh my goodness, I can only imagine one possible explanation. Your cucumeris mites have succumbed to pressure and have opened a cooperative inclusive art school, and they are accepting scholarships to any minute and hipster acarines with big hopes and dreams. They only need someone to believe in them, Susann. 💫 Are you THAT someone? 🥹✨
@DreamMachine good morning Nadia. Don't you *dare* malign my cucumeris darlings. Even if said at school existed they'd probably go all digital (powered by solar) so as not to damage the c plants they've protected until now. And then maybe a particularly nasty Austrian flat mite came along, got rejected and want able to deal? So he gathered the others and systematically led them down a path that made them destroy everything.
Come to think of it, this does seem plausible after all.
Come to think of it, this does seem plausible after all.
@MusicalRedmint I do appreciate some mignified bugs now and then though 🤣 #underthelens Maybe I am just weird. Sorry to hear about your ifestation🥲 But never an opportunity without being able to learn something 😅
I have atm 1 plant with the tinyest spidermites I have ever seen. Usually I am able to spot them without the microscope, but not these ones🙈 Luckily I seem to have been able to keep it on just that one plant, but they don't want to go away either😅
I have atm 1 plant with the tinyest spidermites I have ever seen. Usually I am able to spot them without the microscope, but not these ones🙈 Luckily I seem to have been able to keep it on just that one plant, but they don't want to go away either😅
@MockingJay
Interesting. Though that might not be then, then. My high quality 4x magnifiers plus great lighting are doing nothing for them. I just checked again. One spot, two pictures. I saw 1(!) hazy red dot with the 4xs. One and only because of the dissing color. Jewelers loupe? That one dot only stood out because it was a particularly big egg pile. The whole area around it, however, was teeming with them eggs, mites, shed skins. I've learned some more this time as well, seeing some of them crammed and hiding in the damaged tissue as well.
Of course I don't know what kind of magnifying glasses you use, but unless it is significantly above 4x then, it might not be flat mites. Or of course it might just be a bigger species. Fingers crossed they don't spread, no matter what they are.
Btw: last time with the broad mites I got a bit unhinged during my unsuccessful never- ending fight and once posted a sketch of me s the queen of mites. So if you like mite pictures, maybe I can dust that one off. But real close ups? Nah. I don't mind bug pictures. Insects. Even solitary real spiders. But mite close-ups ? Nope. Not doing that to people😅.
I've noticed however, that at this point, I don't mind them myself anymore. At least not under my own lense. On the internet that's different. But even then, somehow, "my" mites I'm completely fine with now. Don't ask me why.
Interesting. Though that might not be then, then. My high quality 4x magnifiers plus great lighting are doing nothing for them. I just checked again. One spot, two pictures. I saw 1(!) hazy red dot with the 4xs. One and only because of the dissing color. Jewelers loupe? That one dot only stood out because it was a particularly big egg pile. The whole area around it, however, was teeming with them eggs, mites, shed skins. I've learned some more this time as well, seeing some of them crammed and hiding in the damaged tissue as well.
Of course I don't know what kind of magnifying glasses you use, but unless it is significantly above 4x then, it might not be flat mites. Or of course it might just be a bigger species. Fingers crossed they don't spread, no matter what they are.
Btw: last time with the broad mites I got a bit unhinged during my unsuccessful never- ending fight and once posted a sketch of me s the queen of mites. So if you like mite pictures, maybe I can dust that one off. But real close ups? Nah. I don't mind bug pictures. Insects. Even solitary real spiders. But mite close-ups ? Nope. Not doing that to people😅.
I've noticed however, that at this point, I don't mind them myself anymore. At least not under my own lense. On the internet that's different. But even then, somehow, "my" mites I'm completely fine with now. Don't ask me why.
@MusicalRedmint ahah😅 I think mine are just "ordinary" two-spotted spider-mites, they are just so much harder to spot this time than last time🙈 And I don't remember them having orange eggs/nymphs, but the adults looks kind of the same under the lens🙈
I don't have a great microscope, and I don't know how much it is able to magnify, but it does the job. (Also I am near-sighted and have a very good visual, so I am able to see many small things close-up with the naked eye that others can't 😅)
Here are some of my "close-ups". You are able to see the orange on two of the pictures, and the adults are about 1/2 the size of the adult on the last picture with 1 transculent egg.
I don't have a great microscope, and I don't know how much it is able to magnify, but it does the job. (Also I am near-sighted and have a very good visual, so I am able to see many small things close-up with the naked eye that others can't 😅)
Here are some of my "close-ups". You are able to see the orange on two of the pictures, and the adults are about 1/2 the size of the adult on the last picture with 1 transculent egg.
I'm sorry, I'm still without pictures, so you could have posted pictures yourself in a pink party hat and a bright green feather boa or of a screenshot of the beginning of a rick-roll.... and I would be none the wiser. no way for me to tell. If you don't mind, I'll go with the feather boss party hat visual. For today no more mites.
And sorry, I looked and can't find the sketch. It was a true work of art, though. Not unhinged at all.
And sorry, I looked and can't find the sketch. It was a true work of art, though. Not unhinged at all.
@MusicalRedmint oh I guess the green feather boa might be more appropriate for lifting the mood anyway🤣 So just stick with that visual, maybe add a pink flamingo🦩
Hoping your picture-problem gets resolved🤔
Fingers crossed for a mite-free future!!🦸♀️
Hoping your picture-problem gets resolved🤔
Fingers crossed for a mite-free future!!🦸♀️
@MusicalRedmint oh not at all! The cucumeris mites’ hearts were in the right place(s). Although your theory does seem a touch more realistic! Those pictures of the petiole intersection with the whiteish greyish corking like color are making me a little nervous though. I totally don’t need to go check a few hoyas… I’m sure it will all work out by itself…🫣🫣🫣
@MockingJay Veronika I’m sorry you are also dealing with mites! I just got a kids hand held 1000x microscope that I like ever so much more than that dang jewelers loupe. Plus, no more squinting. 😝 You can even get a memory card for it, if, for some reason, you want to save your pictures and have a happy little mite family photo album 🫠
@MockingJay Veronika I’m sorry you are also dealing with mites! I just got a kids hand held 1000x microscope that I like ever so much more than that dang jewelers loupe. Plus, no more squinting. 😝 You can even get a memory card for it, if, for some reason, you want to save your pictures and have a happy little mite family photo album 🫠
@DreamMachine: the theory would explain the amount of damage and their ability to open up several fronts. But it makes me slightly optimistic that there will be a good outcome once everybody will come together, organize, and unite against them.
Don't be instantly panicky. Some just have stems that get woody very soon (sry, forgot the correct English verb for that). Also, if the plant is often receiving slight mechanical damage at those spots (like, I don't know from a dog that uses the windowsill as his guard tower and regularly swiwels his head around while peeking through the bigger plants, oblivious of the damage this might do😅) then the constant movement of some stiffer petioles might crack them repeatedly in a way that might also show up like similar scarring. A friend told me. 😅
In any case, it's still good to look. Don't be like me and dismiss it.
I considered getting one of those kids things. But since I don't use Amazon and it's hard to correctly estimate which "microscope"s are the real deal and which are cheap yet overpriced toys, even on other sites/ shops, even among the (still affordable) more expensive ones, I just gave up. I didn't want to pay money for something, that lied to me and that effectively might lull me into false security.
Turned out well, of course. I might get one after all after doing years of research. 🤦♀️
Don't be instantly panicky. Some just have stems that get woody very soon (sry, forgot the correct English verb for that). Also, if the plant is often receiving slight mechanical damage at those spots (like, I don't know from a dog that uses the windowsill as his guard tower and regularly swiwels his head around while peeking through the bigger plants, oblivious of the damage this might do😅) then the constant movement of some stiffer petioles might crack them repeatedly in a way that might also show up like similar scarring. A friend told me. 😅
In any case, it's still good to look. Don't be like me and dismiss it.
I considered getting one of those kids things. But since I don't use Amazon and it's hard to correctly estimate which "microscope"s are the real deal and which are cheap yet overpriced toys, even on other sites/ shops, even among the (still affordable) more expensive ones, I just gave up. I didn't want to pay money for something, that lied to me and that effectively might lull me into false security.
Turned out well, of course. I might get one after all after doing years of research. 🤦♀️
