What are these bugs?

[Zora21]

I tried to get good pictures. I haven't notic d any bugs over the last week but just started checking closer today and all of the plants are affected. Seems I may have to start over.

They are crawling all over the top of the soil. First glance I thought root aphids. They don't particularly seems to do anything other than run around the top of the soil quickly and run under for a second.

Edit. They also move pretty quickly on top of the soil. I haven't found any crawling up the plant or on leaves, just running around the dirt. I'm trying to find information if they are soil mites and I might be fine.

Edit 2. I think I found my answer. I think Ill leave this open just in case anyone feels like saying something lol.

 

[HappyHazmat88]

Hi zora

So I'm not familiar with that little crawler.... But Google lens has pointed me to this.

Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Hypoaspis miles)....aka fungus gnat predator.

 

[HappyHazmat88]

Hopefully it's a spot on identification because apparently they'll eat a lot of bad bugs for gardens

 

[SmokinRasta]

A friend just told me a few days ago that it will help to put a little layer joint sand on the soil. The bugs live in your soil and they can't get through this loose and fine sand.

 

[013]

Hey Zora,

soil mites are beneficial insects… yes your pics do look pretty close to hypoapsis miles species… hypos are definitely beneficials if that what you’ve got. Pretty confident most soil mites do not attack the plant… but they march along eating and crapping while they work the soil.

wanna see them go bat shit crazy?? grab your magnifying glass and sprinkle some Neem seed meal on top of soil, mist the Neem seed meal with water and let the critter orgy begin… pretty confident any meal will work- crustacean meal, kelp meal, etc

few years back in my newbie days I got the clap… wait wrong website, he, he, he. Anywho got the clap as in soil mites. I went ballistic, sprayed must have been 17 different concoctions, dusted with sulfur, diatomaceous earth, death from above via no pest strip, you name it. Thru all the gyrations I ended up killing the plant but the soil mites lived to fight another day… moral of that story is if they are not attacking the plant (which they didn’t in my case) yeah word to the wise, just observe and leave them alone…

 

[Zora21]

Hi zora

So I'm not familiar with that little crawler.... But Google lens has pointed me to this.

Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Hypoaspis miles)....aka fungus gnat predator.

Hey hazmat, your everywhere I seem to look here. Always good to see you.

That's basically the conclusion that I came too, they are beneficial. I actually top dressed 50-50 gaia green veg and bloom a couple days ago and moistened it, and water it in yesterday. That's when I noticed the bugs going crazy a half hour after watering.

I noticed them first on my healthiest plant, plant has basically zero issues, so I definitely don't think they are doing any damage. That and they seem to love the organic feed.

 

[Zora21]

Hey Zora,

soil mites are beneficial insects… yes your pics do look pretty close to hypoapsis miles species… hypos are definitely beneficials if that what you’ve got. Pretty confident most soil mites do not attack the plant… but they march along eating and crapping while they work the soil.

wanna see them go bat shit crazy?? grab your magnifying glass and sprinkle some Neem seed meal on top of soil, mist the Neem seed meal with water and let the critter orgy begin… pretty confident any meal will work- crustacean meal, kelp meal, etc

few years back in my newbie days I got the clap… wait wrong website, he, he, he. Anywho got the clap as in soil mites. I went ballistic, sprayed must have been 17 different concoctions, dusted with sulfur, diatomaceous earth, death from above via no pest strip, you name it. Thru all the gyrations I ended up killing the plant but the soil mites lived to fight another day… moral of that story is if they are not attacking the plant (which they didn’t in my case) yeah word to the wise, just observe and leave them alone…

I think maybe that's what happened here and why I just noticed them. I top dressed a couple days ago with gaia green veg and bloom and moistened it. Watered in yesterday and they went crazy and it was hard not to see them. They aren't at an overwhelming level for me as the top of the soil isn't absolutely crawling but definitely enough to see specks moving here and there.

Just wanted to be careful as I'm about to flip to flower. I do have some fungus gnats downstairs in house plants but I manage those enough to where I generally only see one flying around. I use the supercidal soap down there.

Maybe I'll take a couple of these bugs down there after a week just to verify they aren't doing damage.

I'm probably fine as if I already have this many I've probably had them for awhile but I'm going to watch for a week or so.

 

[HappyHazmat88]

Hey hazmat, your everywhere I seem to look here. Always good to see you.

That's basically the conclusion that I came too, they are beneficial. I actually top dressed 50-50 gaia green veg and bloom a couple days ago and moistened it, and water it in yesterday. That's when I noticed the bugs going crazy a half hour after watering.

I noticed them first on my healthiest plant, plant has basically zero issues, so I definitely don't think they are doing any damage. That and they seem to love the organic feed.

Hopefully that isn't a bad thing .

And a real note doing some searching for you has made me think I should maybe order some to just keep on hand.

 

[Canachris]

So glad you posted this. I thought I was crazy. After watering my plant I saw all these little white ish things, at first I thought it was maybe bubbles cuz when I'd squirt water on the soil they would all scurry around. My eyesight is horrible so I can't get a close enough look but I'm hoping it those good bugs rather than something nefarious

 

[Justin Goody]

If you use any FoxFarm soil, they come already in there. It’s great because fungus gnats are almost a guarantee with their soils (or any soils) and these little white ones do a great job.

Unfortunately the first time I saw them I killed them all (last year) and freaked out for a day.
Now I welcome them. The last pour out of the happy frog bag is loaded with them

 

[bluter]

your media and nute type will determine whether you want them or not. they are there because of something you don't want.

you can try to run in balance with them, which is great in mostly organics, or you can run clear and kill both beneficial and negative crawlers.

either way is controllable. i'd be tempted to run with them unless i see other damage, but i'd clear everything before 2nd wk of flower and run clean to finish.