Captains Log- Star Date 09/29-The Borg/Bug Wars

[Medifreddie]

Ive been fighting an indoor mite infestation for 'bout 3 weeks...I'm just now turnin the corner as far as gettin a handle on the situation. It is my first real bug attack and it has truly been one hell of a fight. The grow room-waged battle ground is littered with dead plants, dead bugs and a few holes in the grow room walls where Ive thrown a hatchet at the remaining survivors trying to escape. I believe God made tornados to minimize the moblile home population and in the same, gave us spider mites simply to drive growers crazy...

When I first discovered I had mites, my combat arsenal consisted of a bottle of Neem Oil, a bottle of Malathion (a relatively mild pesticide which breaks down quickly when used on garden vegatables etc), dish soap and a half ass and severely scratched magnifying glass I think used to belong to my Grandma. My arsonal was based on my indoor growing days of the 70's and except for the Neem which wasnt around in those days, the Malathion/dish soap mix worked fine. I thought I was prepared for any outbreak. Wrong...

3 weeks into the bug battle, my understanding, knowledge and most important, my weapons to eradicate have increased exponentially. Ive spent countless hours researching my without a doubt more than worthy opponent. Perhaps "relentless" is a better description. My weapons of mass destruction now include household bleach,Neem Oil, Safers Insecticide Soap, SM90, Azamax, Avid, Dr Doom bug bombs, a very powerful 3 gallon professional series pump sprayer and finally, an LED lighted 30x100 magifying scope capable of counting every hair on a gnats ass from 100 ft away. Equally important, I now have a regular inspection, maintenance and prevention schedule/program I lovingly titled "Death From Above" to put down any and all spider mite revolts/uprisings as they may occur.


Here's some of what Ive learned: Depending on your region, you may have one of several species of spider mite. Red spider mites or the dreaded Borg version which is called the 2 Spotted spider mite.

Dreaded I say because while the Red's are relatively easy to eradicate, the 2 Spotted can reduce even the strongest willed grower to a babbling idiot, a hopeless and weeping child with a water can, or a raging tyrant who finds himself on line googling websites in hopes of purchasing Naplam or perhaps even better, Agent Orange because by this point, simple death for the little bastards isnt good enough. Yes, you want them to die, but after 3 weeks of constant battle, you now envision the Hiroshima effect, complete with utter devastation. In my case, I wanted to see badly burned bodies and hear tiny little bug screams as the little shits ingested lethal doses of Agent Orange and then, just like in days of yore, when the little punkasses would come to me and claim they werent feeling well, I could use an old government trick I had learned by denying any involvement. But I digress...

Discovery, under-estimation and finally, "Blue Fox leader to Red Weasel, Blue Fox leader to Red Weasel, commence your run. Nothing gets out alive..." To be continued...MF

 

[Setting Sun]

If only they weren't attached to something so valuable, lol.

 

[Medifreddie]

So, warm up the warp drive Scotty, let's get underway...

Here's the deal. When, not if you discover you have spider mites, 2 things have already happened. Yes, your plants have the mites themselves, in full bug armour(adults and soon to be adults) but by the time the actual crawlies become a reality/nightmare, they will also have begun laying eggs. So, essentially you really have 2 problems. Eradication of the bug itself is obviously priority one but just like in the sci-fi "pests from outerspace movies", you have to kill the eggs too. Here in lies your battle. A lot of on the market stuff will easily kill the juveniles/adult spider mites but pack a lunch and bring your work clothes 'cause killing the eggs is a whole nuther deal. In other words, what kills the juvenile/adults may or may not kill the eggs. Oh, them Borg bugs are tricky, aint they...?

Like the Borg, spider mites were specifically designed to survive, to go forward and to consume. For the most part, what is used to kill the actual mites may not kill the eggs, regardless of what PR hogwash is being strategized to sell the product. And BTW, most of us know,when it comes to the grow game, PR hogwash in all areas can cost you as much or more as the spider mites themselves. An quick example would be the bug bombs. Gimme a break. I can spit tobacco chew onto a plant with as good of results as these contraptions. Yes I suppose they help but let's face it, when all the bug bomb manufacturers labels carry the same buzz words "helps control" what actually does that mean? What they should put on the lable instead is "Your problem is not going to be completely solved by using this product". Couple this knowledge with the dreadful fact that spider mites have a unique ability to build up a resistance to most applications, well you get the idea. Now, while you most likely dont have to worry, the little bastards, at some point taking the bug bomb can and flinging it back at you, it is imperative to be aware of possible tolerance build up to whatever your are using and knowing what to do to avoid it.

In short and in general, ridding your precious plants of the actual spider mite will take time, effort, knowledge and patience and the ability to divide your battle plan into 2 separate attacks. First the mites, then the eggs. But do not despair. For those of you who prefer a more Ghengis Khan approach, there's some stuff out there that will kill both at the same time. In my part of the galaxy, it's the difference between quick-drawing your piddly hand-held phaser or sayin "Yo Scotty, spin me up a bank of photon torpedoes, Daddy wants some real death n destruction...." More later... MF

 

[Medifreddie]

Houston, We Have A Problem...

OK, you've noticed something isnt quite right with your plants ie; wilting, shriveling/completely dead leaves, yellowing or perhaps the leaf edges are beginning to turn brown along with the yellowing or there seems to be an overall slow down in the plant's growth rate or a noticeable white or silver flecking of the leaf, especially along the leaf stem area. The flecking is a sure and easy way to signify the bug rodeo is well underway.

These observations/realizations and how you proceed immediately thereafter can be the defining moment for you and your plant(s). I dont mean you both are going to be heroes, rather what you do or fail to do next will, if the problem indeed turns out to be bugs, can decide whether you will enjoy a fun & healthy grow experience or it becomes an agonizing and drawn out test of your will, patience, dedication and eventually, if you're anything like me, threaten your very sanity.

When the plant begins to exhibit visual problems, there are those amongst us who will immediately suspect too little or too much nutrient(s) as the source of the problem or perhaps too much lighting, too little lighting, incorrect temperatures, PH issues etc. Simply stated, if the problem lies in any of these areas, you have time to adjust and experiment. Your plant(s) will not die overnight from a lack of proper nutrient balance or incorrect lighting or if your PH happens to be off by a click or two. But if the problem turns out to be bugs, wasted days or even hours thru misdiagnosis can and most surely will result in your grow world turning to bug poop in short fashion.

If your plant(s) exhibit any of the above behavior or you even suspect a problem, dont reach for the nutrient bottle, or move the plant to are better lighted location or waste precious time doing a Hail Mary flush. Simply get yourself a decent magnifying glass and inspect the underside of the leaves, beginning with those leaves exhibiting the tell-tale flecking. If you dont happen to own a magnifying glass, you can hold a small piece of white paper underneath the leaf and shake gently. The white paper will aid in seeing the critters as they fall from the leaf and begin scurrying to and fro on the paper surface. Personally I dont hold much stock in the paper/leaf shaking approach but I do draw comfort in the possibility that if the little buggers do hit the white paper, they contract, at the very least, a severe case of whiteout and stumble blindly to the paper's edge and then unceremoniously tumble into the abyss. It isnt hard to visualize "Lemings to the sea is one line, bugs to the edge of the white paper in the other, please..." As I said, it's a comforting thought.

If you dont see critters, great! If you are lucky, perhaps it's just a simple case of, as a grower, you suck. It happens. But if you see little brown things moving around on the underneath of the leaf or you discover white round miniature golf ball looking attached to the leaves (Uh oh, spider mite eggs), alas, guess what? "They're here!"...To be continued some more... MF

 

[trekie]

I have found that the the Orchard spray at lowes work excellent at killing the little buggers and you can also use it for a dreanch. I used to have dreaded mite problem but after a couple of sprays and dreanchs, problem gone... My clone provider turned me on to it. I think it works better than azamax and a lot cheaper too.

 

[Medifreddie]

If only they weren't attached to something so valuable, lol.

Thanks for the observation SS. Too true, but then we cant always have our cake and smoke it too...

 

[Medifreddie]

I have found that the the Orchard spray at lowes work excellent at killing the little buggers and you can also use it for a dreanch. I used to have dreaded mite problem but after a couple of sprays and dreanchs, problem gone... My clone provider turned me on to it. I think it works better than azamax and a lot cheaper too.

Hey Trekie, appreciate the input. By using Orchard Spray, you are definitely in full photon torpedoe mode. No hand held phunky phasers for you it would seem. The Orchard Spray is in what I like to refer to as the " Kill 'em all and let God sort it out" category ie; The last resort, Hail Mary, don your breathing apparatus gear, screw the Geneva Convention rules, I want everything within a 10 mile radius dead or dying, after all this war approach. More on the Orchard Spray and it's family of certain death concoctions/potions shortly....

The Killing Fields

There are many different methods as well as products to combat the lowly and uncaring spider mite and it's soon to arrive armies. I break the method phase down into 3 modes: Passive, assertive and finally, aggressive.

Passive, IMO, is usually a waste of time but because of the product we grow and it's nature of value and the fact we do in fact plan to inhale, it is important to keep in mind we are at somewhat of a disadvantage when the dastardly spider mites arrive at our plant's doorstep. Yes, we want to erradicate, but we dont want to kill the plant our make ourselves or someone else down the distribution line ill from our chosen eradication process. Because someone(s) has determined that apparently the average spider mite cant swim, cant hold it's breath very long and cant hold onto the leave in times of deluge, it is advocated that simply dunking the plant in water or a stiff spray of water to the plant leaves will do the death trick and possibly end your bug problems. There is also what I can only describe as a possible urban legend floating around that the spidermites will drink so much water they tend to explode although I tend to dismiss this claim simply because Ive not personally witnessed this type of event. On the other hand, it would be cool to see it when it actually happens. Pop! Pop! Anyway, in my mind, while a reasonable start, either method is merely a wake up call to Mr& Mrs Spidermite, letting him know we know they are there and we object to his/her presence.

Size of plant(s) can render dunking impossible and while a stiff spray is a more aggressive dislodging method in regards to being passive (huh?), neither will do much good in mite egg removal. And of course, if you have the Michael Phelps version of the menace, I imagine it's just a Saturday nite bath sort of affair. Lightly wiping the underneath of the plant's leaves with a paper towel or sponge is another passive suggestion and is endorsed by some who I can only suppose now reside in a nut house somewhere after being driven completly insane by attempting to wipe every leaf on a half dozen or more 4ft plants. I would also assume these folks have gone from being once passive in their own personal nature to now being aggressive and quite possibly dangerous not only to themselves but to society as well.

I have tried dunking, stiff spraying and wiping the leafs(for about a minute). The first two methods will reduce the juvenile/adult population somewhat but not completely and the wiping thing? Book a room. In truth, some of the eggs that are perched ON the underneath of the leaves will be dislodged but those embedded into the coarsely textured membrane of these same leaves will not dislodge and will not be wiped away which is to say the spider mite obviously somehow boldly thinks it also has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of wreaking havoc to all that you may grow. In short, eventually, while Mom and Dad have been hopefully swept out to sea, their eggs can and will hatch to carry on the onslaught/nightmare. It should be noted I'm not completely certain the tinier & and embedded eggs pose an immediate threat or if they first grow larger to become the easier dealt with "perchers" before hatching but if there's such a thing as early risers/hatchers in the mite egg hatching world, then it would be prudent to assume the use of plain water, in any form, would be more effective as a preventative, down the road measure rather than as an imminent eradication method. Next, we up the ante by escalating to the assertive mode....MF

 

[trekie]

Here is a organic prep if you don't want to go full proton. Use this to keep aphids and other pests off your plants just finely chop1 onion and 2 medium cloves of garlic. Put ingredients into a blender with 2 cups of water and blend on high. Strain out pulp. Pour liquid into spray bottle. Spray a fine mist on plants, making sure to coat both tops and bottoms of leaves. Spider Mites Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, 4 cups wheat flour and 5 gallons water and apply the same as the aphid solution. This suffocates spider mites and other mites. Have great day

 

[Medifreddie]

Here is a organic prep if you don't want to go full proton. Use this to keep aphids and other pests off your plants just finely chop1 onion and 2 medium cloves of garlic. Put ingredients into a blender with 2 cups of water and blend on high. Strain out pulp. Pour liquid into spray bottle. Spray a fine mist on plants, making sure to coat both tops and bottoms of leaves. Spider Mites Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, 4 cups wheat flour and 5 gallons water and apply the same as the aphid solution. This suffocates spider mites and other mites. Have great day

Whoa, Trekie, sounds like I need to stop by the galley and see if the starship's cook has an extra apron and whether we have a fleet approved galactic blender on board. Concoctions from the galley, I like em!

Speaking of suffocation, it is the leading cause of death for the spider mite hoard when ramping up to assertive mode status.

Agricultural Oils- Breathe Deep The Gathering Gloom

As I said way earlier, I had already possessed a bottle of Neem Oil. I dont recall exactly the circumstances as to why I purchased it but when the Borg/bugs deployed their first ground troops in my grow area and I began reading up on armament weapons options, Neem Oil popped up as a possible solution and I said, "Hey, Ive got that!". At the time, I wasnt aware of the reason/theory as to why Neem Oil works as a spider mite deterrent and after a few application treatments, neither myself or the first wave of invading troop bugs were overly impressed, which is too say, very little. I discarded the Neem Oil and went to bugs bombs and y'all already know from my previous post how that worked out.

With my Borg/bug invasion was well under way, I stumbled on to Agricultural Oils and found my first ray gun of hope. The effectiveness of agricultural oils, including Neem Oil, are such that in essence, you are treating the plant which in turn kills the mites. While pesticides/miticides primarily kill insects, agricultural oils actually coat the plant with an oil/waxy layer and as we all should know (don't we?) because the mite's tiny and very existence depends on being able to breathe through the plant's leaf, the various agricultural oils become the mite's suffocational grim reaper. I'm certainly down with that.

In my oils/suffocation weapons cache:

Neem Oil- The standard. Google it and you'll discover some cool info.

SM90 - not a well known agricultural oil but still very effective. It has an interesting history as much as I can determine without heavy research, of being re-catorgorized to a miticide in the state of California because it supposedly started out as being designed for use as something else. How's that for spot-on research info? Google it also to find out it's rather odd background.

Azamax- It is listed as a miticide, just a click below being classified as a pesticide simply because although it kills & suffocates both (it contains an oil also) it wont kill the mite eggs. Thus, you are still not out in front of the invasion. As I said earlier, the mites are relatively easy to kill with a miriad of different applications but if you fail to address the eggs left behind, they will hatch very quickly and the infestation will begin again. You can continue to treat on a 3 day program with agriculture oil mixes which will eventually kill the eggs/larvae as they begin to hatch or you can go after the eggs by elevating to the aggressive mode ie; miticides/pesticides.

Next, getting serious with miticides/pesticides. To be continued...

 

[Dowg]

That was a good, fun read.... thank you.

 

[Medifreddie]

Miticides/Pesticides-The Heavy Hitters

Floramite, Avid, Orthene, Kelthane, Orchard Spray, *Malathion, etc. If you have any one of these in your hand and are fixin to do a bug elimination run, your first thought should be "Man, I was hoping it woudnt come to this." These products are the Agent Orange of the pest world and I might add, to some various innocent bug bystanders. Personally, I dont recommend using any of them outdoors, on our "crops". *There are several opinions as to the effects of Malathion in regard to the Two Spotted mite. There are studies/findings stating it is effective and other information suggests the 2 Spotted mite builds up a quick immunity to the Malathion and the infestation can becomes worse. Geez, I wish they'd make up their minds...

Orthene, Kelthane & Orchard Spray can and will take out the good guy bugs as well as the neighborhood bee population. I find the latter unacceptable. Some collateral damage is one thing but why should the poor bees pay for the spider mite misdeeds? The bee pollination process is sacred. Encourage and protect it.

Orchard folks use some of the above and many other diabolical pesticides but that's another story. If I had my bees in their orchards, I would tell em to knock it off but most likely they would just tell me to buzz off. If possible, use an environmentally friendly application. Another thing to consider is that your crop doesnt consist of tomatoes you can wash before eating. Pesticides and a smoke-minded crop, in my opinion, are similar to drinking & driving. They just dont mix.

Indoors is another story. Dawn your protective clothing and gloves, strap on your breathing apparatus and commence reining death from above. A few things to keep in mind first:

If your infestation is slight, dont panic and proceed to begin hunting flies with a bazooka. Try the horticultural oils or soap mixes first. Sticky tapes? Personally, I dont want to lay awake at night wondering if the mites have a scout bug leading the rest of the bug invasion around these things. I'm really not interested in them getting stuck on fly paper when they get around to it. I'm more of a search and destroy kind of fellow. Of course, a home remedy is always fun if they work but remember, Mick Jagger is lying to you if he begins singing "Time is on your side."

If it seems that the whole damn spider mite population has descended on your defenseless girls, a knockdown attack would be justified and suggested. Go with Avid or Floramite as either will do the trick. In my opinion, any thing more serious isnt necessary and is simply overkill. Yea, I know we all want the mites to die hard but there is no reason to be handling the Agent Orange category stuff if it isnt necessary. Do several flybys 3 or 4 days apart and then go to the oils or soap with a bi-weekly maintenance/prevention schedule. Do not think they are permanently gone and you are done. If you do, after all the work you did to get rid of them, you deserve the next infestation to take place in your shorts. Keep the place clean, dont let Fido in, monitor who and what comes and goes and get yourself a pair of coveralls and keep em on in the grow room and WEAR em whenever working around the plants.

I keep a small 30 gallon barrel in the grow room, filled with a mix of Azamax, Avid and water. Everything from new and used pots, rockwool cubes, tools, EVERYTHING, gets dipped or scrubbed when first coming into the room. Also get in a habit of quarantining any green stuff coming in the room.

So there ya have it. It aint everything but it's something. Myself, I'm now bug free but I still sleep with one eye open. The Borg/bugs are gone for now but I swear, while they were in retreat, I heard a little bug voice say, "We'll be back..." MF

 

[trekie]

Just a short note on the use of Orchard spray that I use from Lowes. It is a pyrethins based insecticide spray. Pyrethrin is a natural insecticide, derived from the Chrysanthemum flower (Pyrethrum). It has been used to control pests for over a century and is generally considered quite safe. There are two types of Pyrethrins found in these flowers - appropriately called Pyrethrin I and Pyrethrin II - they are usually combined in pest control formulas. Pyrethrins are considered one of the least toxic insecticides to mammals. They are biodegradable and break down with exposure to light. I just thought you should know Captain...I personaling do not like the taste of neem oil.

 

[lavendar]

soooo, happy new year mf and all....
I want you to know that officially my old man now thinks i'm losing it....i read your posts and it is the first time i have truely laughed since all the bugs showed up....thank you for a great sense of humor....sounds like you've been there and back....good job....my hub said "we will get thru this' .....but i wanted to know when, right now is the calm before the storm....have gotten rid of the first wave of adults thanks to the triple threat of preditor mites, but getting the humidity up to keep them alive has caused a new and different sort of problem, water vapor on the ceiling, damp walls, a dead computer...how that happened is another matter....tooo much moisture i presume....he did ask if i were trying to drown them? he is gone working most of the time so i am left to wage battle alone on the "horrors".....i'm afraid kitchen utensils don't work well....my one rule was never bring in an outsider, and i was offered some jack h's, a bubblegum, and a grapefruit that i wanted to add and try.....sooo, being greedy really helped....the guy that passed them on, was being a real sweetie, and he did tell the old man that they were once involved with spider mites, and that was passed on to me....and i should have passed at that moment, but time went on....i did dip two as soon as i got home in the azomax, but the other two were too big and i didnt see any scars or anything....they were on the two i dipped so they had to be on the others also....but trying to dodge a time thing, i did not dip the two larger....they wouldnt fit in the gallon jar....yeah, cut a corner, walk two miles extra....am putting on the final bunch of preditors tomorrow....trying to dry out the walls now, and bought a case of mold and mildew deterents and hope it all works....i know there will be eggs....i had new clones, some of which like 1/5 of them may live thru all of this, and some new seedlings, and
others that should be moved to the bud room.....but since i've already cross contaminated by moving 5 girls in there two days after the new clones came here....i am reluctant to move any others.....i kinda have a perpetual budroom, as one goes out, one goes in....worked well until lately....now i wish i had a holding pen....like the last chance to catch the leftovers before it is all irrevocably screwed up....i havent found a plant yet that is "the one", so i am still trying them....all...if i have my way, and this bug detour just was not on the map....oh well, the best laid plans? so now i am armed with neem oil, and i have not smelled it yet, and not too crazy about tasting it either, but if it works who be i? i have the preditor mite place on speed dial, and bug bombs in a bag ready to go....and the azomax....and i just finished buying 5 heavy duty sprayers, as i had already figured i was in for a seige....the bleach and cleaning was already a staple, also the screens on the intake fans and an ozonator....and boy does that work on spiders, regular house kind....usually plagued with them....maybe the sm's ate them? and why cant someone make a sprayer that will hold up? i have went thru 3 of them so far, but they were the ordinary kind, not the godzillas of the spray world....again thank you for the thing i needed most....a really good laugh, the kind where tears run out your eyes, it was great.....loved it....now back to the "killing fields"...lavendar

 

[Medifreddie]

Just a short note on the use of Orchard spray that I use from Lowes. It is a pyrethins based insecticide spray. Pyrethrin is a natural insecticide, derived from the Chrysanthemum flower (Pyrethrum). It has been used to control pests for over a century and is generally considered quite safe. There are two types of Pyrethrins found in these flowers - appropriately called Pyrethrin I and Pyrethrin II - they are usually combined in pest control formulas. Pyrethrins are considered one of the least toxic insecticides to mammals. They are biodegradable and break down with exposure to light. I just thought you should know Captain...I personaling do not like the taste of neem oil.

Trek...Captain?? LOL Hmmm, the Orchard Spray. In my treks thru the universe, I have found the following info regarding the Orchard Spray. It's the stuff I was referring to. If it's the same as you are using, then it's the old saying: "It is what it is" or in your case: " A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...If your OS is different,then we are ridin the same starship...Thanks for all your input, you'll make a fine officer one day!

Found on web:

"With increased Federal regulation of pesticides, the range of pesticide products available to homeowners at retail outlets such as garden centers and nurseries is narrower than a few years ago. With fewer choices, it's especially critical that homeowners read the labels on these products with great care in order to avoid misuse.
It's all too easy to misunderstand a pesticide label. A good example is "Ortho Home Orchard Spray," a very widely sold product that is a mixture of a fungicide (captan) and two insecticides (malathion and methoxychlor). The label recommends applying the product during the bloom period on peaches, cherries, and apricots. The major pest targeted during the bloom period is brown rot, a fungal disease. However, the insecticide components of "Home Orchard Spray" are highly toxic to the bees that pollinate the blossoms, so a spray when bees are active can devastate their populations and result in poor fruit set. Another part of the "Home Orchard Spray" label includes a caution against using the product when bees are active, but this is easily overlooked unless the label is read carefully and thoroughly. Another problem is that many people are unaware of the usual timing of bee activity (active during midday, less active at dawn and dusk).
This example brings up a fundamental drawback of "combination" products such as "Home Orchard Spray": often, a spray is applied when one of the pesticides (the fungicide or the insecticide) has no benefit to the crop. The result is that these pesticides are wasted."

Also found on web:

"Multi-purpose Orchard spray to control many fruit diseases such as bitter rot, black rot, brown rot and scab
Controls many insects such as aphids, apple maggots, canker worms, codling moths, curculios, Japanese beetles and spider mites
Contains: 15% Captan and related derivatives, 7.5% Malathion and 15% Methoxychlor"

MF's note. As stated above, we all gotta do what we gotta do when the bug invasion comes. My Borg/bug trilogy post is flawed in that I egoistically crossed the line from the post merely being the intended "Captain's Log" to "The Captain Says To Do This". It was not my intention. Product and technique wise, we all fly our own ship. My story is just that. My story. And what works for me.

"Now Scotty, kick this 'ol girl into warp-drive. We're outta here......" MF

 

[trekie]

just a shoet note back to you captain. As I have said i Use the orchard spray from lowes called Bonide it uses pyrthim for insectiside not the other crap. Have a great day captain...

 

[Medifreddie]

soooo, happy new year mf and all....
I want you to know that officially my old man now thinks i'm losing it....i read your posts and it is the first time i have truely laughed since all the bugs showed up....thank you for a great sense of humor....sounds like you've been there and back....good job....my hub said "we will get thru this' .....but i wanted to know when, right now is the calm before the storm....have gotten rid of the first wave of adults thanks to the triple threat of preditor mites, but getting the humidity up to keep them alive has caused a new and different sort of problem, water vapor on the ceiling, damp walls, a dead computer...how that happened is another matter....tooo much moisture i presume....he did ask if i were trying to drown them? he is gone working most of the time so i am left to wage battle alone on the "horrors".....i'm afraid kitchen utensils don't work well....my one rule was never bring in an outsider, and i was offered some jack h's, a bubblegum, and a grapefruit that i wanted to add and try.....sooo, being greedy really helped....the guy that passed them on, was being a real sweetie, and he did tell the old man that they were once involved with spider mites, and that was passed on to me....and i should have passed at that moment, but time went on....i did dip two as soon as i got home in the azomax, but the other two were too big and i didnt see any scars or anything....they were on the two i dipped so they had to be on the others also....but trying to dodge a time thing, i did not dip the two larger....they wouldnt fit in the gallon jar....yeah, cut a corner, walk two miles extra....am putting on the final bunch of preditors tomorrow....trying to dry out the walls now, and bought a case of mold and mildew deterents and hope it all works....i know there will be eggs....i had new clones, some of which like 1/5 of them may live thru all of this, and some new seedlings, and
others that should be moved to the bud room.....but since i've already cross contaminated by moving 5 girls in there two days after the new clones came here....i am reluctant to move any others.....i kinda have a perpetual budroom, as one goes out, one goes in....worked well until lately....now i wish i had a holding pen....like the last chance to catch the leftovers before it is all irrevocably screwed up....i havent found a plant yet that is "the one", so i am still trying them....all...if i have my way, and this bug detour just was not on the map....oh well, the best laid plans? so now i am armed with neem oil, and i have not smelled it yet, and not too crazy about tasting it either, but if it works who be i? i have the preditor mite place on speed dial, and bug bombs in a bag ready to go....and the azomax....and i just finished buying 5 heavy duty sprayers, as i had already figured i was in for a seige....the bleach and cleaning was already a staple, also the screens on the intake fans and an ozonator....and boy does that work on spiders, regular house kind....usually plagued with them....maybe the sm's ate them? and why cant someone make a sprayer that will hold up? i have went thru 3 of them so far, but they were the ordinary kind, not the godzillas of the spray world....again thank you for the thing i needed most....a really good laugh, the kind where tears run out your eyes, it was great.....loved it....now back to the "killing fields"...lavendar

MESSAGE FROM STARFLEET COMMAND: Lav, Stay strong* STOP* Fight the good fight *STOP* Cover your flanks *STOP*Pray a lot*STOP*Happy New Year! END OF MESSAGE

Lav, I have formed a visual image of you in my mind similar to Sigourney Weaver in the movie Alien. It's the final scene where the alien spider mite bug is holding one of your precious plants and you, in full bug-battle dress and in lock n load mode say, "Put her down bitch..." LOL You go girl. Kill em, kill em all and let God sort it out....MF

 

[Medifreddie]

just a shoet note back to you captain. As I have said i Use the orchard spray from lowes called Bonide it uses pyrthim for insectiside not the other crap. Have a great day captain...

Trek, your report is duly noted and entered into the Captain's log. There are applications on the market that are represented as "orchard sprays", a mere relative description of a product(s) in the realm of bug prevention/eradication. Orchard Spray, however, is a name brand and does contain pesticides. Your Bonide, while perhaps considered or referred to as an "orchard spray", is obviously not the Orchard Spray I mentioned. So as Spock used to say to me frequently, "Yo Captain, my logic tells me it's all good in the galaxy hood..." MF

 

[Dowg]

Very much liked the read.
That malathion is some bad stuff. My neighbor used it to keep the misquitoes down, sprayed it like his moma sold it...Whiped out all 16 of my bee hive..

 

[Retired Three]

Great Read... Sorry about your problem but I did laugh my Ass off reading about your adventure... How do you think you contracted the problem???

 

[Medifreddie]

Hey Joe, how ya been dude? Thanks for takin the time to read my Borg/bug Chronicles. If I had to guess, I think the punkasses might have hitched a ride in on me or could have been some infected dispensary clones I brought in without quarantining. Also, Fido used to come n go. However it happened, I got lazy, pure n simple... MF