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pests Problem with tiny white bugs in the soil - How do I get rid of them?

A

Alex818

I have these very tiny bugs that are walking around on my soil and climbing out of the pots sometimes. I havent seen any of them on the plants. They seem to come out right when I water or disturb the soil. They're NOT springtails. Some research I've done suggests they could be some sort of Soil Mites. I've read some posts that they might be fungus gnat larva but I seriously doubt it (I think fungus gnat larva look more wormlike). I did have a fungus gnat problem before but I think I solved it completly by watering with a BTi solution (used a mosquito dunk in a gallon of water) They're all gone now. I posted a couple video clips that I took of them. Its hard to focus in on these things so please excuse the quality:

and

I suspect they came from the Miracle Grow Organic potting mix I used because my plants have never been outside. Im dumping it all out tomorrow, washing the roots out and switching to Fox Farms soil. Please help me ID these things and any suggestions on how to get rid of them would be appreciated!

THANKS!
 
Think I have the same things...

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Never once have I seen them on my plants, only in the soil and on the pot.

As I had fungus gnats buzzing around too, I put the little mitey things down to being some kind of mite that eats fungus gnat larvae (and that are hopefully the good guys). I've left them to do their thing and so far so good - my plants are still alive!

I could be wrong too... so please don't hold me on it!

Here's a pic I found of a good guy mite that I thinks looks exactly like what I got:
06-079f9.jpg
 
well i think i also got this type of tiny mites in the soil. i thought it was normal to have it.

when there are organic wastes in the soil, i think this mites help decompose ? and they are part of the flora and fauna of the active soil.

u can always spray some insecticide to kill everything in the soil but you will also kill the good guys..
 
Further research indicates that these could possibly be a mite called "Hypoaspis Miles". Supposedly a beneficial predatory mite but Im still not comfortable with them at this point. I tossed my bag of MG soil away and Im going to rinse and repot my plants with a different kind of soil. I wonder if I should sterilize the soil. Im not sure about heating up organic soil in my oven, I could just imagine the smell and my wife would kill me. I guess if they return after re-potting then Im not going to worry about it much. I was also told that less watering controls their population. I've been overwatering lately to get rid of the fungus gnats with a BTi (mosquito dunk) solution (worked like a charm by the way).
 
Thanks, I stopped by at OSH yesterday and picked up the Espoma brand Earth Tone insecticide (http://espoma.com/p_consumer/earth_t_overview.html). I bought the "Insect Control" (with pyrethrins - blue bottle). It should be mild to the plants. Planning on spraying them down including the soil, letting it sit for an hour or so then rinsing off the roots and repotting in some fresh soil. I Picked up a bag of Fox Farm ocean forest soil at a local gardening shop.
 
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