I trimmed back a miniature rose in a pot yesterday, and noticed it had tiny
little creepy things, about 0.5mm long, and webbing. Are they spider mites?
They're very pale/white, I thought spider mite were red.

I've seen them before and thrown the plants if I can't wash them off
successfuly, but this time they're worryingly close to the blueberries that
haven't been put out yet. I'm hoping I got rid of all the 'infected' bit
cos I pruned the roses right back (not sure if you're meant to do that with
minis, but they weren't looking happy at the time and were showing sign of
new buds, so it seemed appropriate. For 20p I'm prepared to throw them!)

I'm thinking maybe keeping plants on that window (which is very sunny)
misted may be an idea at reducing the problem.

Any thoughts?

--

wrote:
I trimmed back a miniature rose in a pot yesterday, and noticed it had tiny
little creepy things, about 0.5mm long, and webbing. Are they spider mites?
They're very pale/white, I thought spider mite were red.

Red spider mite are at most pale orange and often so small you cannot
even determine the colour without a magnifying glass. Misting with water
and/or a systemic insecticide will probably see them off. They are only
a serious problem indoors and under glass. Outside is too harsh for
them. You are a bit up against it effective controls have been banned.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/...D=190#section3

The truly bright red fast moving spider mites are the good guys!

I've seen them before and thrown the plants if I can't wash them off
successfuly, but this time they're worryingly close to the blueberries that
haven't been put out yet. I'm hoping I got rid of all the 'infected' bit
cos I pruned the roses right back (not sure if you're meant to do that with
minis, but they weren't looking happy at the time and were showing sign of
new buds, so it seemed appropriate. For 20p I'm prepared to throw them!)

The blueberries will throw them off outside even if they did pick it up
indoors so I wouldn't worry on that score. Cold damp windy British
weather really doesn't suit them.

Having said that my snowdrops get a specialised spider mite of some sort
every year that marks the foliage but doesn't seem to damage vigour.

I'm thinking maybe keeping plants on that window (which is very sunny)
misted may be an idea at reducing the problem.

Any thoughts?

Plant pins or Provado to kill rsm

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 27/01/2012 11:12, Martin Brown wrote:
wrote:
I trimmed back a miniature rose in a pot yesterday, and noticed it had tiny
little creepy things, about 0.5mm long, and webbing. Are they spider mites?
They're very pale/white, I thought spider mite were red.

Red spider mite are at most pale orange and often so small you cannot
even determine the colour without a magnifying glass. Misting with water
and/or a systemic insecticide will probably see them off. They are only
a serious problem indoors and under glass. Outside is too harsh for
them. You are a bit up against it effective controls have been banned.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/...D=190#section3

Plant pins or Provado to kill rsm

IME both the above are unfortunately useless against RSM. The only
effective product I have found available to the amateur is Westland
Plant Rescue Bug Killer Ornamental Plants Ready To Use. Note that this
contains Thiamethoxam & Abamectin. It is the latter which is active
against RSM. Do not be tempted to buy the concentrate, as this contains
only Thiamethoxam. You may have to spray several times at weekly
intervals as it is not effective against RSM eggs, only the mites
themselves.

--

Jeff

On Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:28:37 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 27/01/2012 11:12, Martin Brown wrote:
wrote:
I trimmed back a miniature rose in a pot yesterday, and noticed it had tiny
little creepy things, about 0.5mm long, and webbing. Are they spider mites?
They're very pale/white, I thought spider mite were red.

Red spider mite are at most pale orange and often so small you cannot
even determine the colour without a magnifying glass. Misting with water
and/or a systemic insecticide will probably see them off. They are only
a serious problem indoors and under glass. Outside is too harsh for
them. You are a bit up against it effective controls have been banned.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/...D=190#section3

Plant pins or Provado to kill rsm

IME both the above are unfortunately useless against RSM. The only
effective product I have found available to the amateur is Westland
Plant Rescue Bug Killer Ornamental Plants Ready To Use. Note that this
contains Thiamethoxam & Abamectin. It is the latter which is active
against RSM. Do not be tempted to buy the concentrate, as this contains
only Thiamethoxam. You may have to spray several times at weekly
intervals as it is not effective against RSM eggs, only the mites
themselves.

I came across this advertised as something that will eat RSM (among
other things):

http://www.dragonfli.co.uk/product/bio-01-6

Thinking of trying it out to see if .....

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay where
the four seasons are salt,pepper,mustard and vinegar.

"Jake" Nospam@invalid wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:28:37 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 27/01/2012 11:12, Martin Brown wrote:
wrote:
I trimmed back a miniature rose in a pot yesterday, and noticed it had
tiny
little creepy things, about 0.5mm long, and webbing. Are they spider
mites?
They're very pale/white, I thought spider mite were red.

Red spider mite are at most pale orange and often so small you cannot
even determine the colour without a magnifying glass. Misting with water
and/or a systemic insecticide will probably see them off. They are only
a serious problem indoors and under glass. Outside is too harsh for
them. You are a bit up against it effective controls have been banned.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/...D=190#section3

Plant pins or Provado to kill rsm

IME both the above are unfortunately useless against RSM. The only
effective product I have found available to the amateur is Westland
Plant Rescue Bug Killer Ornamental Plants Ready To Use. Note that this
contains Thiamethoxam & Abamectin. It is the latter which is active
against RSM. Do not be tempted to buy the concentrate, as this contains
only Thiamethoxam. You may have to spray several times at weekly
intervals as it is not effective against RSM eggs, only the mites
themselves.

I came across this advertised as something that will eat RSM (among
other things):

http://www.dragonfli.co.uk/product/bio-01-6

Thinking of trying it out to see if .....

It looks as if this is Amblysieus californicus. I tried this last year from
www.ladybirdplantcare.co.uk as I had previously tried Phytoseilus, and up
here in the far north, the temperature is too low for Pytoseilus to be
effective. It takes a little time to get going but worked very well on my
peaches and apricots under glass. I spoke to Ladybird Plant Care and they
told me that there is evidence that Amblysieus can overwinter. Because of
this, I have not sprayed with 'tar oil winter wash' this year so will wait
to see what happens. It is a bit pricey at £49 per tub but this will last
all summer in a 16x12 greenhouse. The 'dragonfli' mites are cheaper, but
there is no indication as to how many you get or the coverage - in fact very
little information at all. One major advantage with Amblysieus is that it
will feed on other food sources (even pollen) if it eats all the red spider
mite.

HTH

Phil

How far north are you?

I'm not far north, just Yorkshire. I found Phytoselius worked well in 2005 and 2006. But 2006 was the last time that we had a summer. I had no success in 2007 and 2008 and had come to the conclusion that it was a temperature thing, so glad of your comments on this.

Please keep us informed on how you get on with Amblysieus - if it does overwinter, it's worth considering, but £49 is a bit too expensive for a season's growth.

"kay" wrote in message
...

Phil Gurr;948596 Wrote:

It looks as if this is Amblysieus californicus. I tried this last year
from
'Ladybird Plantcare - online shop for Biological Controls'
(http://www.ladybirdplantcare.co.uk) as I had previously tried
Phytoseilus, and up
here in the far north, the temperature is too low for Pytoseilus to be
effective. It takes a little time to get going but worked very well on
my
peaches and apricots under glass. I spoke to Ladybird Plant Care and
they
told me that there is evidence that Amblysieus can overwinter. Because
of
this, I have not sprayed with 'tar oil winter wash' this year so will
wait
to see what happens. It is a bit pricey at £49 per tub but this will
last
all summer in a 16x12 greenhouse. The 'dragonfli' mites are cheaper, but

there is no indication as to how many you get or the coverage - in fact
very
little information at all. One major advantage with Amblysieus is that
it
will feed on other food sources (even pollen) if it eats all the red
spider
mite.


How far north are you?

Pretty far north, 40 miles north of Inverness

Please keep us informed on how you get on with Amblysieus - if it does
overwinter, it's worth considering, but £49 is a bit too expensive for a
season's growth.

Yup, it's a bit of a luxury but the apricots and peaches are out of this
world, twice the size of the ones you get in a supermarket and so sweet and
juicy!

On 1/28/2012 10:30 AM, Phil Gurr wrote:
wrote in message

How far north are you?

Pretty far north, 40 miles north of Inverness


From my point of view, that's south...

"S Viemeister" wrote in message
...
On 1/28/2012 10:30 AM, Phil Gurr wrote:
wrote in message

How far north are you?

Pretty far north, 40 miles north of Inverness


From my point of view, that's south...

Yup, but you are within 'striking' distance, and you're just about falling
off the edge!

Phil

On 1/28/2012 11:38 AM, Phil Purr wrote:
"S wrote in message
...
On 1/28/2012 10:30 AM, Phil Gurr wrote:
wrote in message

How far north are you?

Pretty far north, 40 miles north of Inverness


From my point of view, that's south...

Yup, but you are within 'striking' distance, and you're just about falling
off the edge!

Phil



True.

My greenhouse is a mixture of ornamentals and annual veg - given that I can control RSM by spraying and occasional jettisoning of plants, it is a luxury, but perennial fruit bushes are a different matter altogether.

On Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:43:00 -0000, "Phil Gurr"
wrote:


"Jake" Nospam@invalid wrote in message


I came across this advertised as something that will eat RSM (among
other things):

http://www.dragonfli.co.uk/product/bio-01-6

Thinking of trying it out to see if .....

It looks as if this is Amblysieus californicus. I tried this last year from
www.ladybirdplantcare.co.uk as I had previously tried Phytoseilus, and up
here in the far north, the temperature is too low for Pytoseilus to be
effective. It takes a little time to get going but worked very well on my
peaches and apricots under glass. I spoke to Ladybird Plant Care and they
told me that there is evidence that Amblysieus can overwinter. Because of
this, I have not sprayed with 'tar oil winter wash' this year so will wait
to see what happens. It is a bit pricey at £49 per tub but this will last
all summer in a 16x12 greenhouse. The 'dragonfli' mites are cheaper, but
there is no indication as to how many you get or the coverage - in fact very
little information at all. One major advantage with Amblysieus is that it
will feed on other food sources (even pollen) if it eats all the red spider
mite.

HTH

Phil

Phil, I asked them and they say that for your £9.95 you'll get 250 of
the little critters and yes, they can overwinter in the right
conditions. The Ladybird pack works out at £8 for 250 so, mite for
mite, they're cheaper. I suppose it depends on whether you want £49
worth of them or not. Dragonfli are experimenting with a more
voracious creature that might replace their "Mighty Mite Foliar" but
haven't said any more.

I didn't ask what the "terra" version of their product was (I assume
hypoaspis) but you get 500 of those so again Ladybird are cheaper if
my assumption's right and you want the quantity.

All that said, I wonder about all these microscopic creatures. We buy
them and do the necessary with them but are they actually doing what
we've paid for them to do? Ladybirds and their larvae, lacewings,
hoverflies are all free and seem to do as good a job with whitefly
etc. Hedgehogs and frogs are good for slugs. Now if only I can work
out where all my thrushes went last year I'll have the snail problem
sorted again.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay where
the four seasons are salt,pepper,mustard and vinegar.

"Jake" Nospam@invalid wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:43:00 -0000, "Phil Gurr"
wrote:
Phil, I asked them and they say that for your £9.95 you'll get 250 of
the little critters and yes, they can overwinter in the right
conditions. The Ladybird pack works out at £8 for 250 so, mite for
mite, they're cheaper. I suppose it depends on whether you want £49
worth of them or not. Dragonfli are experimenting with a more
voracious creature that might replace their "Mighty Mite Foliar" but
haven't said any more.

I didn't ask what the "terra" version of their product was (I assume
hypoaspis) but you get 500 of those so again Ladybird are cheaper if
my assumption's right and you want the quantity.

All that said, I wonder about all these microscopic creatures. We buy
them and do the necessary with them but are they actually doing what
we've paid for them to do?

I monitored the introduction of Amblysieus last year and although the
build-up was slow, by the end of the season the RSM had all gone and the
predator was rampant. I shall monitor right from the start of the season
this year and introduce a smaller dose of the predators if the RSM appear
and the predator does not overwinter. Spraying is out of the question as
this is a food crop under glass.

Phil