DesertDoobies

hi ebody it's been a while and, things are mighty green in the grow room and getting ready to go to flower here within the next week or so, but today while checking the plants I found a tiny little "rice-shaped" insect. I wasn't even sure it was an insect since it was so small, but when I touched it, it jumped to another leaf. I smashed it and noticed it had wings. But the thing is tiny (like 1/16-1/32 of an inch). Upon closely inspecting the leaf it was on or near, I see it has several 8/9 pinpoint freckles. I didn't see anymore of these white insects, but if that one little bug put those freckles on my leaf, I am very concerned what they may be able to do in numbers. I searched under white flies, but couldn't seem to find a picture. They don't seem to be in the soil (or at least I don't see them there); just the one on the leaf. Based on the size of the plant, I'm not worried about one leaf, but I am worried about it spreading to the rest of the plant or to my other plants...Anyone? Is there a link anyone has to pictures of various leaf pests?

I'm definitely going to find some safers and spray them tomorrow as a precautionary measure, but I'd like to know what I'm dealing with ...

(I'm growing indoors in soil (mish-mash of organic/inorganic plus bone meal)using flos) smoke on'; grow on'

milagro

DD,


Bugs are no fun. Hopefully buzzmobile or his assistant Eephus will be along with their bags of tricks shortly.

By the size and action of the little bugger it could be a thrip. I was infested with them a while back. The safer's is a good precaution.

Do your leaves look like they have a shiny trail on them? Are there any rusty looking areas on the tops of the leaves?

Check out the sticky traps in buzzmobile's signiture and put some up around your grow. I have a thread out there somewhere called Thrips! If you put that into the search engine it ought to pop up, maybe it will shed some light.

Buena suerte.



dead milagro

buzzmobile

Run your hand through the canopy, DesertDoobie. If you have whiteflies they will be flitting about after being disturbed. It could be thrips too. Both insects can leave marks on your leaves. The yellow sticky traps will confirm the presence or absence of the critters and the soap spray will deal with them if they are present.

Thrips info Cool thrip animation (bonus link)
Whitefly info

Those ought to arm you with a bit of knowledge. My work here is done. Time for me to go.

DesertDoobies

Well, i ran my hand through the canopy of all the plants and I didn't see one thing fly or jump and i inspected all the plants again and do not see anymore of these "white rice insects". I also don't see anymore damage to the one freckled leaf or any other leaves with freckles, BUT....

Do you think those little pinpoint freckles are EGGS? or was it just the mark where that little sucker was eating my leaf? (Looks like someone took the point of a stick-pin, dipped it in bleach and touched several places on this leaf, leaving tiny pinpoint yelow freckles.

I DO think it looks like something was eating it (with my minimal gardening expereince, though, I wonder), but I am questioning whether I should cut off that 1/2 of the leaf? <shrugs>

I looked at the thrips picture by searching for thrips, finding mialgro's post and then linking to some of the hyperlinks from the posters, buzz, etc..and I'm not convinced that the picture is what i saw; unless i saw a baby because I didn't see any attenna on the bug, but not so transparent of body/wings. But it IS that same shape as the one in the picture, but not black in any way (re: milagro's post). I also do not see any slime trails or rusty-ness anywhere on the damaged leaf or elsewhere.

well, i'm gonna get the safers anyway? should i? and some "buzz" traps?? just precautionary?? does everyone do this?? keepin' it green.... and THANKS!

milagro

DD,


You might be lucky and had just a passing muncher stop by to chow down.

The sticky traps are a good idea all the time because they will show you the beginning of an infestation rather than you finding it later.

My thrips were larval stage, I never ever saw an adult or any flying. They were white to gray to the naked eye, and brown to black under a microscope.

If I were you, rather than spraying now, I'd be super vigilant and keep an extra eye out for any more insects and/or damage.

Good luck, keep 'em at bay.



The late-great-milagro

buzzmobile

From your description of the pin point freckles, I would advise checking the undersides of your leaves and look for spider mites. They are very small, anout the size of a tiny pinhead. As milagro so rightly suggested: There's no need to spray if you don't know what you are spraying.