pests Ack...soil bugs

QuadShotz

QuadShotz

Banned
Well this is freaky.

I'd posted about those chives I got and they've been fine..until recently. Couldn't figure what was up until this morning. Tons of near-microscopic white bugs on the soil. Not the chives themselves, just the soil. Maybe 1-2mm size if that.

These are in 15oz cups BTW.
soilbugs1.jpg


Another pic:

soilbugs2.jpg


I tried flushing the soil with a peroxide dilution, but all that did was flush out the buggers in the soil, and bring more to the top. Argh.

I think I should just toss the lot of them since i don't care much about chives.

But, that raises the issue of is my whole bag of soil toast, or did they come with the chives?

That's my guess since ALL of the chives have these little fookers.

I never saw stuff like this in the soil before. (yes, it 'tis MiracleGro)

I think I'll just toss 'em..but perhaps this can help someone elsee eh?

Thx,

~QS
 
Is it the Miracle Grow Moisture Control? Those might be those crystals that swell when watered. Contents = Contains AquaCoir®, a unique blend of coconut fibers (coir pith), sphagnum peat moss and a wetting agent, which absorbs excess water and releases it gradually as the plant needs it.

I dont see legs so thats my assumption.
 
I see legs. Bottom right. The 3 grouped vertically. The bottom one of those.

Since I'm no good at identifying strange bugs, I can only assume by size & shape that they're some sort of mite.

It's up to you if you want to keep the chives. I'd just check the bag of soil closely.
 
No, it's just regular MG, and yes they move albeit slowly.

Here's an idea of the scale..unfortunatly my macro setting doesn't double as a microscope and I don't have a tripod. ;)

soilbugs3.jpg


Buddy I called said they could be baby spiders or some kind of mite..but I've never seen baby spiders this small or this slow. Just white pinpricks with legs really.

Could they be baby fungus gnats?

Weird.
 
Those might be young spider-mites. They seem to feed on indoor plants the most according to one of my books. If you see webbing (Silk-spinning), that's a sure sign that they are spider-mites. Control would be something such as Pyola insect spray
 
you're not thinking sand fleas are you Potawie?
 
AlabamaJack said:
hey Quadzzz...get you one of these...it is a 10X jewelers loop and you can see what the bugs look like up close and personal...I have three of them and carry one in my pocket all the time...
Click to expand...

Hey those are neat..love the site too. Dremels & Widgets..I like it!

POTAWIE said:
I don't think its mites, it seems like they are only in the soil. Is the soil quite sandy?
Click to expand...

I checked both the bag of MG and the Hyponex, nothing alive in it at all that I can see even with a magnifying glass. So, whatever it is came in with the Wal-Mart chives. :( Odd that they just showed up now though.

IDK if it's that they dislike chives, but they are so small it's rediculus. The soil is basic 2/3 MG & 1/3 Hyponex with a little added TerraCycle and the sand-like particles you see on top are coffee grounds. ;)

Odd thing is, the chives themselves seem pretty healthy. I just cut off like 5" off the top for a meal the day before, and they barely seemed to notice it. If anything, they are greener now.

Creeps me out having little things crawling around. :shocked:

-QS
 
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