Ok so today i was going thru the soil in my first grow and i noticed alot of lil white bugs under the soil! WTF are these lil things! will they harm my plants and how the heck can i get rid of them! 
Lil white insects!
- Thread starter L8tNightSkunk
- Start date
BombnCali
New Member
Ok so today i was going thru the soil in my first grow and i noticed alot of lil white bugs under the soil! WTF are these lil things! will they harm my plants and how the heck can i get rid of them!
Hey do you notice any adult Gnats around? Because the Fungus Gnats larva look like that =/ and they'll eat your roots. Could also be white flys though.
- Thread starter
- #3
No i didnt notice and adult gnats around, they dont look like larve either they look like lil bitty lice someone told me they could be springtails does anyone know what they are?
BombnCali
New Member
I was gonna let someone else thats more knowledgable then me reply because im pretty new to growing and all but heres a little info.
Well springtails look like fleas and range in color but they can be white, they hop somewhat like a flea as well. From what iv read about them they dont cause to much damage to plants and tend to eat the mold or fungus thats in the soil but will eat decaying organtic matter or suck juices in the roots. They need moisture to survive. So id let it all dry out and mabey try some neem oil or something along those lines.
Also they love moss and you may be able to see them at the bottom of the pots after a good watering because they get flushed out the bottom.
Well springtails look like fleas and range in color but they can be white, they hop somewhat like a flea as well. From what iv read about them they dont cause to much damage to plants and tend to eat the mold or fungus thats in the soil but will eat decaying organtic matter or suck juices in the roots. They need moisture to survive. So id let it all dry out and mabey try some neem oil or something along those lines.
Also they love moss and you may be able to see them at the bottom of the pots after a good watering because they get flushed out the bottom.
- Thread starter
- #5
yeah they look like lil bitty fleas and are white they freaked me out because i dont want them to harm my plants, i was moving the soil around with my fingers and noticed them under the dry soil on top
I think pictures would help the members diagnose which pest you've got.
I think this is a question for the grow support gurus - I'm going to relocated your thread into the Pests section of the Grow Room where the Pro's can help you.
In the meantime, here's a few links that might help.
Trouble Shooting with pics
Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver - Pictorial
I think this is a question for the grow support gurus - I'm going to relocated your thread into the Pests section of the Grow Room where the Pro's can help you.
In the meantime, here's a few links that might help.
Trouble Shooting with pics
Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver - Pictorial
- Thread starter
- #7
ok thanks Soniq420, yeah i tried taking pictures of those lil bugers but my camera wont get them they are so small but ill try again thanks
Can you try a safers soap drench of the soil?
Do they hop or just crawl. I beleive springtails hop around.
Table 1 lists the common names of active ingredients found in insecticides available to treat houseplants. You will find these insecticide names on the label under the heading Active Ingredients. These names are often listed in fine print, so look carefully.
Table 1. Active Ingredients of Insecticides Available for Houseplants.
bifenthrin:
spider mites, scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, aphids
permethrin:
scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, aphids
resmethrin:
scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, aphids
pyrethrins:
mealybugs, whiteflies, scale, thrips, aphids
no residual, only kills on contact
imidacloprid:
mealybugs, scale, aphids
only available in potting mix from Bayer Advanced
disulfoton:
mealybugs, scale, aphids
usually has a disagreeable odor; do not use unless plant is actively growing
potassium fatty acids (i.e. insecticidal soap):
scale, aphids, thrips,
spider mites
sold specifically as an insecticide; no residual, only kills on contact
neem oil:
whiteflies, thrips, aphids
various combinations of oil extracts
(e.g. thyme, canola, clove,
sesame, cotton seed, garlic oils):
scale, thrips, aphids, whiteflies, spider mites
Bacillus thuringiensis H-14
(e.g. Knock Out Gnats):
fungus gnats
bacteria that specifically attack fungus gnat larvae; available primarily by mail order
Caution: Always read pesticide labels carefully before buying and again before using these products. This is especially important as the availability and recommended use of specific pesticides may change from year to year. The label is the final authority on how you may legally use any pesticide.
Store pesticides in a locked area out of the reach of children. For questions about proper disposal of old or unused pesticides, contact your local county extension office.
Do they hop or just crawl. I beleive springtails hop around.
Table 1 lists the common names of active ingredients found in insecticides available to treat houseplants. You will find these insecticide names on the label under the heading Active Ingredients. These names are often listed in fine print, so look carefully.
Table 1. Active Ingredients of Insecticides Available for Houseplants.
bifenthrin:
spider mites, scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, aphids
permethrin:
scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, aphids
resmethrin:
scale, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, aphids
pyrethrins:
mealybugs, whiteflies, scale, thrips, aphids
no residual, only kills on contact
imidacloprid:
mealybugs, scale, aphids
only available in potting mix from Bayer Advanced
disulfoton:
mealybugs, scale, aphids
usually has a disagreeable odor; do not use unless plant is actively growing
potassium fatty acids (i.e. insecticidal soap):
scale, aphids, thrips,
spider mites
sold specifically as an insecticide; no residual, only kills on contact
neem oil:
whiteflies, thrips, aphids
various combinations of oil extracts
(e.g. thyme, canola, clove,
sesame, cotton seed, garlic oils):
scale, thrips, aphids, whiteflies, spider mites
Bacillus thuringiensis H-14
(e.g. Knock Out Gnats):
fungus gnats
bacteria that specifically attack fungus gnat larvae; available primarily by mail order
Caution: Always read pesticide labels carefully before buying and again before using these products. This is especially important as the availability and recommended use of specific pesticides may change from year to year. The label is the final authority on how you may legally use any pesticide.
Store pesticides in a locked area out of the reach of children. For questions about proper disposal of old or unused pesticides, contact your local county extension office.
- Thread starter
- #9
thank you very much Mc Budz, im gonna take a trip to home depot to the garden center and im going to write some of these down and see if they have em there
i had that same problem when i used home depot soil
mos def learned my lesson so now i use foxfarm
but when they were around my first grow
they didnt harm my plant so i got lucky
and they eventually died when i watered less
mos def learned my lesson so now i use foxfarm
but when they were around my first grow
they didnt harm my plant so i got lucky
and they eventually died when i watered less
- Thread starter
- #11
glad to hear that they dont bother the plants, yeah i know lately i havent watered and im letting my soil dry up and even let it get a lil hot in my box i figured no bacteria can live in the heat so maybe these lil things will die when everything dries up a bit and gets a lil warm
Hightide805
New Member
hey skunk, i noticed this was over a month ago... how did it go? did you get rid of them? what worked?
- Thread starter
- #14
i just let my soil dry not water it for a couple of days and then they left or died
Hightide805
New Member
cool, i'll remember that if it happens
