I see these patches and under a scope they look black but embedded into the leaf like I can scrape it off, but doesn’t brush or blow off. That’s under 60x
Can’t find any bugs. Just one plant out of 6. Worried they may be spider mites. Never had those before.
I am not a bug expert, but from my limited experience they do not look like spider mite eggs to me. Perhaps some insect poop? Those dark green(?) things.
Their eggs are spherical, and pretty transluscent…
I just find it coincidental each place where it looks damaged has these black things. Real real tiny
But it’s also weird that given all the areas I spotted. They wouldn’t have spread. Or created webbing. Or shown themselves. Just scanned the plant for a good half hour and couldn’t find any bugs
Probably not a coincidence at all - there may be an insect that ate some leaf, pooped some, and moved on.
I’ve had some chew the edges of the leaves then vanish.
Hope they are not mites, those things suck.
And yes. Those dark green dots. They look black to the naked eye.
I hope not either. I’ve never dealt with them and don’t want to. I’d rather just scrap everything and take a break for a few months and pray they have left
My guess is fly shit!
I’m baffled. I just spent about an hour searching and still stumped.
The damage looks like a virus of some sorts or thrip damage. I find it hard to believe these are droppings. Under magnification they look like sap. They are stuck to the leaves. I have to use my fingernail to scrape it off. I figure droppings would blow off or brush off.
Only one plant is having this despite this plant touching 3 nearby plants. Wouldn’t bugs have travelled?
I’m wondering if I should cull it to save the rest of my garden in case it is a bug.
It’s thrips.
Just took another look at them under a none panicked state.
I guess now my next question is what is the likely hood it spread to other plants? And can I just cull this one?
What’s the best course of action?
I just had a run with them a month back chances are you’ll need to spray I used a product called endall kills a variety of pests ,picked the most damaged leaves off then sprayed 3 times 2 days apart waited a week sprayed a final time no thrips,
Were you in flower?
I’m just about week 4
It appears neem oil would be safe to use in flower
Insecticidal soap?
Just the start of flower but have also sprayed week 4 with no ill effects !
Captain Jacks ftw…
Spinosad will kill thrips without damaging your 4 week old flowers beyond discoloring some pistils. Thrips will definitely multiply and spread to other plants. The black specks are frass (insect poop). Thrips having rasping mouth parts so they scrape the chlorophyll layer leaving behind the patches seen on the leaves.
Man this sucks. Glad it isn’t spider mites. But I’m wondering how the hell they got in there? I’ve never had a bug problem before aside from some fungus gnats last grow. I guess every grower growing long enough deals with bugs at some point. MAybe I’ve just been lucky these past 7 years?
The only thing I can think of is I defoliated one night and took 5 days to pick up the vegetation (dumb move I know) but I don’t think that would just cause them.
I guess what I’m trying to figure out is how to prevent them in the future.
I’ve been reading up on spinosad and it seems pretty safe. Has a short half life in sunlight. Just not sure how it will be smoked.
When applying do I have to go crazy and make sure I cover the whole plant top and bottom of leaves? I got 6 huge plants. Any face and eye protection? Dust mask? Safety glasses? I read skin absorption is low, but gloves probably still a good idea. Does this need to be done before lights out?
I deal with these fuckers every now and again. Actually spraying for them now.
They come in from my lawn, usually when it gets cold out they come looking for warmth. Spinosad is a quick easy fix for thrips.
I’m not too fond of spraying anything in flower.
So what do you use then for flowers? I feel like due to the holidays it will be forever until i can get predatory mites and a full blown infestation will be active by then.
I have a ways to go until harvest so I doubt I can ride it out
Spray the thrips now with spinosad and there is plenty of time for the residue to degrade before harvest.
