Flat mites (false spidermite) info posts. Under my rant a...
Flat mites (false spidermite) info posts.
Under my rant about my current flat mite outbreak @debbiedo suggested, I supply some pictures and description of symptoms to help others spot their own outbreaks sooner (or, like me, spot those signs and ignore them, hence the rant). So here you go. My picture gallery of doom.
Also: Should you have questions regarding specific pictures, please keep in mind, I'm flying blind, since at this point, Greg doesn't even show me my own pictures anymore. And if any relevant existing hashtags come to mind (I seem to remember we have some sort of "plantinfo-themoreyouknow" kind of thing), please relay them to me to add to the bunch. #pestcontrol #orchidlovers #hoya #hoyahangout #flatmites
Under my rant about my current flat mite outbreak @debbiedo suggested, I supply some pictures and description of symptoms to help others spot their own outbreaks sooner (or, like me, spot those signs and ignore them, hence the rant). So here you go. My picture gallery of doom.
Also: Should you have questions regarding specific pictures, please keep in mind, I'm flying blind, since at this point, Greg doesn't even show me my own pictures anymore. And if any relevant existing hashtags come to mind (I seem to remember we have some sort of "plantinfo-themoreyouknow" kind of thing), please relay them to me to add to the bunch. #pestcontrol #orchidlovers #hoya #hoyahangout #flatmites
8
@MusicalRedmint
Oh dear Susann...
I'm so sorry!
What a nightmare 😐😑😶
I only see one picture here that you posted.
Oh dear Susann...
I'm so sorry!
What a nightmare 😐😑😶
I only see one picture here that you posted.
Let's start off with the picture above. Flat mite feeding damage can resemble that of thrips. In general it can present very differently in different plants (especially on the upper leaf surface), but in the back and on the petioles it tends to look similar on different plants. Smal grayish scarred tissue. Either as close together like above or like in the picture of the villa with spaced out dots. In many hoyas the damaged tissue sunstresses more easily, appearing almost like edema if it is spaced out more. Like broad mites they also like to nibble more around the more tender edges of the leaves and the emerging fresh leaves.
Their preference for the emerging fresh growth and the leaf edges alongside their harmful digestive juices (I think I remember those juices are for that purpose, at least. Don't quote me on that😅) result in a very specific look. Almost impossible to mistake. Or ignore. *sigh*.
The leaf edges often curl inward. Either uniformly or just twisted and weird. Depending on the plant.
The nodes that try to reproduce growth over and over again and fail, grow a lot of scarry tissue, remain stunted and gnarly. If the damage at the petiole is significant enough, you will see yellowing drooping and then dropping leaves, especially younger ones. But if that connection in particularly is especially damaged, older leaves will drop as well.
The leaf edges often curl inward. Either uniformly or just twisted and weird. Depending on the plant.
The nodes that try to reproduce growth over and over again and fail, grow a lot of scarry tissue, remain stunted and gnarly. If the damage at the petiole is significant enough, you will see yellowing drooping and then dropping leaves, especially younger ones. But if that connection in particularly is especially damaged, older leaves will drop as well.
Of course, that goes for other plants as well. Flat and broad mites looooove hoyas, but they really don't mind snacking on e.g. orchids as well. Which is where I encountered their bigger cousins (the broad mites) first. Both have similar damage, right down to the twisting leaves and gnarly nodes and destroyed young growth. Sadly the perspective made it hard to capture the twisted leaves in those orchids, but maybe you can see it a tiny bit:
The only thing I found hard to consistently catch was the feeding damage atop of the leaves. Sometimes it just looks like the scarred surfaces like in the pictures above. Sometimes there is none whatsoever. Sometimes you have spots of dechlorination. On closer look you can see slight abrasions, but it v just looks like weird mechanical damage from carelessness (maybe a trellis scraping over it or looking it) or sometimes rather like weird nutrient a deficiency . Sometimes they just go to town on a bigger leaf in one spot, destroy it and leave a singular necrotic spot behind (often also twisted, because of those aforementioned toxic juices.) Especially in higher light, those can turn reddish black from the anthocianins as well, even before it turns necrotic.
So, that's about all I got for now. Basically, if you see twisted or curling leaves on your orchids or hoyas, don't dismiss them. If you see gnarly nodes, plants that don't seem to grow for no reason or tend to have yellowing leaves that drop (like they would after you have overwatered your hoyas), take a closer look.
All of this points to broad or flat mites. If you cannot see them, don't take this as a reason to dismiss the idea. (like a certain someone)
I was able to spot the broadmites back then (but also at first only with very good magnifying glasses. But even those were useless in the case of flat mites. They are simply too small and hide very well. Unless you have a jewelers loupe or a decent digital microscope, you stand no chance. If you do, look under the leaves and along the stems, which are also often scarred similar to the petioles and nodes I've shown you. With a jewelers loupe you might make out some tiny red dots. Don't necessarily expect them to move either. I've found the egg sacks are even quicker to find than the adults, since they are stationary, a bit bigger, a bright color and remain even on spots the adults might have left. Same goes for shed skins: you might notice weird translucent mite-like stuff lying around on your precious plants
Wish I could supply pictures of those as well, but, for now, I don't have a digital microscope.
So. Have fun checking your plants. I have to go buy an army of predators now
All of this points to broad or flat mites. If you cannot see them, don't take this as a reason to dismiss the idea. (like a certain someone)
I was able to spot the broadmites back then (but also at first only with very good magnifying glasses. But even those were useless in the case of flat mites. They are simply too small and hide very well. Unless you have a jewelers loupe or a decent digital microscope, you stand no chance. If you do, look under the leaves and along the stems, which are also often scarred similar to the petioles and nodes I've shown you. With a jewelers loupe you might make out some tiny red dots. Don't necessarily expect them to move either. I've found the egg sacks are even quicker to find than the adults, since they are stationary, a bit bigger, a bright color and remain even on spots the adults might have left. Same goes for shed skins: you might notice weird translucent mite-like stuff lying around on your precious plants
Wish I could supply pictures of those as well, but, for now, I don't have a digital microscope.
So. Have fun checking your plants. I have to go buy an army of predators now
Oh. And should any of you wonder: wow, that's very specific info and a lot of damaged plants? I've already ranted on the why and hows of that earlier today here:
https://greg.app/post/2qvnll/hi-my-lovely-greggers-please-send-love-and-strength-or-if-thats-not-your-thing-a-bottle-of-a-good
https://greg.app/post/2qvnll/hi-my-lovely-greggers-please-send-love-and-strength-or-if-thats-not-your-thing-a-bottle-of-a-good