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What can i do? Spider mites!

vraev

Carnivorous plant enthusiast
Admin
Hey guys,

Remember this pic? The random pattern I was noticing on the leaf??

3355481468_ffa54e7a38_b.jpg


Today I was looking closer at my big ceph. A couple of days ago...it almost dried to a crisp when I forgot to water it. Anyways....it came back after watering...opening all pitchers.

Today I notice a small pitcher that is starting to form...and see like little maroon dots on it. I was very suspicious...tried touching them with foreceps...they didn't move.

I kept looking for more. I spotted a leaf with this: :censor::censor::censor:

3464592694_967e3675f5_b.jpg


DAMN IT!!! how the hell did I get spider mites??? F****!!!! And on top of this...ontario pesticide ban. Just perfect! Just freaking perfect!!

Just when I thought that the scale issue is going down. I see this. The plant is like 4 feet away from my nep enclousure. WHo knows? Maybe spider mites are in there as well. hundreds of dollars....alll freaking down the drain.

Now on april 22, ontario has enacted a new ban on chemical pesticides, insecticides etc etc. Only things left are neem oil and soap solutions.

darn it!!!!!!!!!!

what should I do?

thanks,

Varun
 
argh wtf..so that bayer stuff you bought for the scale is banned now?
grandfather rule!?!?!?!?!?!? argh...Neem might work :\
 
Try the neem oil...that's worked for me on CPs
 
damn it!!!

Is there an expiry date for neem oil? I bought some 2 yrs ago. Never used it...bottle is sealed.

Also...is neem oil safe for all neps? anyone find it being toxic to any cps?? I plan on blasting all neps, cephs and helis with it.
 
damn it!!!

Is there an expiry date for neem oil? I bought some 2 yrs ago. Never used it...bottle is sealed.

Also...is neem oil safe for all neps? anyone find it being toxic to any cps?? I plan on blasting all neps, cephs and helis with it.

There is no expiration that I know of and I would also recommend neem oil. It causes mechanical damage in pests -- gums up their respiratory bits; and when the pests can manage a way to overcome suffocation, our time is definitely up . . .
 
Bella...have u ever had to use it? did u have spider mite issues before? is there a specific recipe that has worked? I have heard that soap can be harmful to neps.
 
I've used Neem oil on Cephalotus, Sarracenia, Dionaea, Nepenthes and even some Drosera. No harmful effects that I've noticed. However the instructions warn not to use on stressed plants.

Mix as directed in water. Some people add a touch of soap as an emulsifier but if you shake often while spraying it should be no problem.

Neem oil will work on spider mites. You just have to repeat treatment for a few weeks (as directed).
 
I went ahead and tried a suggestion made several threads ago by Not A Number of drowning pests using CO2. I went out and got myself a big block of dry ice, put them in a container and added warm water to it. An immediate mist of CO2 gas rushed through the tanks, hopefully displacing all oxygen long enough to kill any pests. Not that I had an infestation to begin with, but it seemed like sound preventive medicine. So far the plants don't show any ill effects and they look clean enough (not that there was a problem to begin with).

NAN: Has this proven effective for you in eradicating pests in the past?
 
  • #10
Bella...have u ever had to use it? did u have spider mite issues before? is there a specific recipe that has worked? I have heard that soap can be harmful to neps.

I have used neem oil in the past for spider mites (since a number of my plants grow outside, pests are occasionally unavoidable); and I prefer to use it on more "sensitive' plants, such as Cephalotus and Heliamphora, over the use of Orthenrex -- though that can be used if the infestation is severe . . .
 
  • #11
hmmm! I guess neem oil and CO2 usage might be the only possible legal solutions for me. I might either try this old bottle first and if it doesn't work...try a new one. I might also try buying some solid C02 and try it out. lol! What the heck? might as well do what I can. I just sprayed the ceph down with water. I never spray water on the ceph...it grows in pretty low humidity.

HEy!! would u think fresh squeezed lemon juice might help? lol! I use green neem lemons in a lot of foods that i make for garnish. :p It gives quite a distinct and nice tangy taste. Ofcourse..its citric acid IIRC. I would assume insects won't like it. Neem oil although is probably from bark of the tree or its leaves.
 
  • #12
hmmm! I guess neem oil and CO2 usage might be the only possible legal solutions for me. I might either try this old bottle first and if it doesn't work...try a new one. I might also try buying some solid C02 and try it out. lol! What the heck? might as well do what I can. I just sprayed the ceph down with water. I never spray water on the ceph...it grows in pretty low humidity.

HEy!! would u think fresh squeezed lemon juice might help? lol! I use green neem lemons in a lot of foods that i make for garnish. :p It gives quite a distinct and nice tangy taste. Ofcourse..its citric acid IIRC. I would assume insects won't like it. Neem oil although is probably from bark of the tree or its leaves.

The last time I had occasion to use neem oil, it was in a pre-made solution, Greenlight "Rose Defense," probably at no more than a 0.9% concentration; and that worked just fine . . .
 
  • #13
hmmm..... I guess I will try a 2% solution then. Thanks bella! :)
 
  • #15
hmmm..... I guess I will try a 2% solution then. Thanks bella! :)

Greenlight "Rose Defense" is only a 0.9% neem oil solution and it is quite effective . . .
 
  • #16
why did I think I saw you write 2%? sheesh! lol! I must be going crazy.

Anyways...hmm....a gallon eh?? Do u guys think I can just water and drench the CP media with that solution as well?

thanks,

Varun
 
  • #17
You weren't losing your mind -- not just yet anyway. I made a earlier mistake and corrected it. The "Rose Defense" comes in a premixed spray bottle and a good misting of the entire pot usually does the trick. Occasionally a second spraying, a week later, becomes necessary . . .
 
  • #18
lol! I wouldn't have been surprised if it was me as I am truly sleep deprived working on a presentation for school.
 
  • #19
blast them with a jet of water? I spent 10 minutes spraying my N. ventricosa yesterday and it knocked all the mites off. I have used the same technique on all sorts of plants and i have noticed WAY better results than chemicals.

if you like chemicals, i do occasionally use this stuff from ortho called Rose Pride, and I'll say that this stuff has done more for me in one spray than all other "cides" combined. i have used it safely on all manner of cps but perfer the water method.

just my opinion.

~billy
 
  • #20
aaaah!!! I guess I will try to use water to first dislodge any that I can before using the neem oil. The ceph is too big and I don't notice any retardation in its growth. The only problem is getting the water through all the nooks and crannies.
 
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