Wtf is this!!!!

I found the same types of mites in the soil of my plants about a week ago. Their body shape is similar to that of the two-spotted spider mites, but they only have 6 legs, and they are always walking around. They are a solid tan color with no markings. My plants look healthy as can be and there isn't any webbing or anything like that anywhere. The only bug I've been able to find online that looks similar is a predatory mite called Neoseiulus californicus. Should I do anything about it? Or just let them do their thing?

VooDooH420 said:

Medical dude your the shit man!!! I looked at both pics, and your right they are preditory mites. Thanks man a lot. I'm gonna switch to hydroponics when I move!!

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Sorry to tell you this man, but those don't look like predator mites to me, I don't see those 2 brown spots on the torso.

They look like White Mites. I just did battle with one myself called the Broad Mite.

The good news is most White Mites wont bother your plant because they can't bite through the walls of your stalk or leaves. They just feed on more simple plant life, like algae & such.

The bad news is there are 2 that will mess wtih your plants......
http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/broad_mite.htm
http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/cyclamen_mite.htm

If you have any strange twisting type damage to any of your leaves, or if you have any unexplained damage that looks like a catepillars been chewing on it, then you definately have one of these two bad boys.

If that's the case, there's hope. That site suggest submerging your plants in 110 degree water for 30 minutes which you can do if there's no buds.

If there are buds, then I suggest doing what I did.......

1 - Buy some Mite X (all natural) and spray the hell out of everything except your buds of course. Don't want mildew.

2 - Buy & release about 1,500 lady bugs for every 3 plants.

3 - A week after the first spray, spray again with a different type of suffocant, like Neem Oil for example.

(check with the horticulturist at your local nursery, they can usually recommend something good)

4 - A week later spray for a 3rd time with a 3rd different type of suffocant.

Your problem sould be solved, but be carefull not to get too much on those buds, remember about the mold & mildew. And remember to spray everything in the room.

Don't worry about the lady bugs, suffocants don't seem to bother them.

I hope that it's one of the White Mites that don't feed on plants. But if they are the kind that does, I hope this helps.

those mites look like they are really small, you can see mine crawling around the soil with your eyes.

They should be the size of a spec of perlite dust. And they should actually have 8 legs if they're big enough to see, if you look close you should see 2 small ones kind of under their fat ass not doing much more than holding that fat ass up.

You should also see some strange leaf damage, 2 types. Leaf warping, almost like a pH fluctution, and chewing damage, almost like a catepillars been chewing on a leaf hear & there.

It they're bigger than that, and/or if you don't see that type of damage, then they're not white mites.

Have you looked at one under a microscope? If you have and they look like mites but aren't white mites, then they could be aphids. Aphids get a little bigger than mites and have a similar body shape.

If they're more long & slender like a cigar, then they could be Thrips.

If they're predatory mites, then they have to be feeding on some kind of pest bug. If not they'd of starved by now. That's all they eat.

Best thing, take a good look at one under a microscope, then check this site http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/ and see if you can't match it up with a pic of one of the pests.

If you want to get rid of them, and I'm sure you do. Add petroleum to your plans, it kills eggs. Helped me get the edge on the Broad Mites finally. Bonide has one called All Seasons. www.bonide.com

Let me know how it goes.

Good luck.

nospidermites.com???